Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of Agriculture and Science and Technology in Zimbabwe accompanied by their Director Generals are joined by the representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and a representative from the COMESA Secretariat display CA Investment Framework.
The Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe has launched the national Investment Framework on Conservation Agriculture. This happened on 22nd February, 2012. Zimbabwe is promoting Conservation Agriculture (CA) to help increase and sustain agricultural productivity, production and farm incomes while protecting natural resources in the country.
In 2010, following recommendations from several national and regional meetings held to map out pathways and mechanisms for CA expansion, the Ministry of Agriculture Mechanization and Irrigation Development (AMID) together with FAO, COMESA and the Zimbabwe CA Taskforce, and in close consultation with state and non-state stakeholders, developed a CA Strategy for the period 2010-2015. The strategic national target is to have at least 500,000 farmers practicing CA on at least 250,000ha of land by the year 2015.
In order to attain the set targets from the estimated 2010/2011 baseline of 260,000 farmers and 110,000ha, Zimbabwe aims to increase the number of CA farmers by around 20% annually for the next four seasons. By 2013/2014 the country would have reached about 449,000 farmers and more than 390,000ha and reaching close to 539,000 farmers and nearly 680,000ha by 2014/2015. Approximately USD140 million would be required in investments, covering training and extension (including education) at about USD85 million, CA equipment at nearly USD43 million and close to USD12 million combined for research and development, coordination, and policy and institutionalization activities.
Speaking during the official launch of the framework, the Secretary for Agriculture, Mechanization and Irrigation Development, Mr. Ngoni Masoka noted that the number of farmers implementing Conservation Agriculture in Zimbabwe has increased tremendously from just over 5,000 in the 2003/2004 agricultural season to over 350, 000 farmers covering an area of approximately, 150, 000 hectares during the 2011/2012 season. Further he noted that over 130, 000 farmers are implementing Conservation Agriculture without any input support and this implies that farmers are ultimately seeing the benefits of this technology.
He added that Conservation Agriculture is a practice that has the potential of increasing crop productivity and that with the implementation of the CA framework the current national maize yield of 0.8 tonnes per hectare will be increased to an average yield to 1, 5 tonnes per hectare.
The Representative of the Secretary General of COMESA, Mr. Chikakula Miti reminded the meeting that the Ministers of Agriculture agreed that 1.2 million farmers in the region should have access to CA technology by 2012. In this regards, COMESA Secretariat will support the strengthening of the in country platforms such as the CA task force that are promoting Climate Smart Agriculture. He also noted that COMESA, SADC and EAC have commissioned a consultant to design the regional result facility that will support projects aimed at up scaling of Climate Smart Agriculture programmes.
Earlier, Mr. Martin Arger, the representative of the FAO Southern Africa sub-regional office indicated that FAO will continue supporting the Government of Zimbabwe in scaling up of proven climate resilient practices such as conservation Agriculture.