AGRICULTURE Minister Perrance Shiri has admitted there was nothing to celebrate about Zimbabwe\u2019s assumed farming successes when grain silos were empty with the country now forced to rely on maize imports to feed the nation.<\/p>\n
The minister was speaking at President Emmerson Mnangagwa\u2019s Kwekwe Farm last week where the Head of State was hosting a field day.<\/p>\n
Shiri had to reprimand Seedco Managing Director Dennis Zaranyika who had made a contribution congratulating Mnangagwa, the First Lady and the Agricultural Ministry for being beacons of light in the agricultural sector.<\/p>\n
In his speech, Zaranyika had told guests: \u201cWe have to congratulate Baba na Amai (Mnangagwa and his wife Auxilia) for hosting this successful field day by showing the meaning of successful agriculture.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would also want to congratulate the agricultural ministry for the efforts they are taking in agricultural initiatives in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, Shiri felt the praises were unnecessary as Zimbabwe was going through one of its worst famines since independence in 1980 with over 8.8 million Zimbabweans \u2013 more than half of the country\u2019s population \u2013 in need of food aid.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Minister of Agriculture and his Ministry are yet to get any plaudits. The country is still begging for grain from outside countries. The silos are yet to be filled, whilst countries such as Zambia are looking down upon us telling us that we must enter into contracts with them so that they can come and farm for us,\u201d Shiri said.<\/p>\n
However, Shiri while admitting that the country\u2019s agriculture was facing challenges, said Zimbabwe had the potential to rise from the ashes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are sitting on vast potential as a country. Agriculture has the potential to turn around the fortunes of our economy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the same event, Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri said agricultural turnaround was the country\u2019s top priority.<\/p>\n
\u201cAgriculture and food security remain top priority for the Zimbabwean government. It is critical for the attainment of household and national food security as well as supporting livelihoods of the rural population.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
AGRICULTURE Minister Perrance Shiri has admitted there was nothing to celebrate about Zimbabwe\u2019s assumed farming successes when grain silos were empty with the country now forced to rely on maize imports to feed the nation. The minister was speaking at President Emmerson Mnangagwa\u2019s Kwekwe Farm last week where the Head of State was hosting a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":20710,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4],"tags":[789,1359],"class_list":{"0":"post-20708","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-community","9":"tag-agriculture-in-zimbabwe","10":"tag-minister-shiri"},"yoast_head":"\n