Preparations for the revamped 2024/25 Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme are already underway, with farmers starting to dig holes and mulch this year’s mandatory four plots.
Unlike previous years where the focus was primarily on maize, the updated program now requires farmers to plant four distinct crops: maize, sunflower, sugar beans, and sunhemp. This diverse crop selection is part of Zimbabwe’s broader efforts to climate-proof its agriculture, given the increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns due to climate change. By implementing Pfumvudza, even if the country experiences below-average rainfall, farmers can still achieve good yields from their small plots.
The new crop variety ensures a more balanced diet for rural households. Maize provides mealie meal, beans offer a source of protein, sunflower contributes to cooking oil, and sunhemp supports livestock feed, contributing to better nutrition and improved livelihoods. The Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme, introduced by the New Dispensation under President Emmerson Mnangagwa, is part of the government’s drought mitigation strategies. Alongside this, the government has embarked on drilling boreholes in 35,000 villages, revamping dams, and setting up irrigation schemes, aiming to empower rural communities and strengthen food security.
While some, especially in urban areas, are engaged in unproductive political rhetoric, rural communities are working alongside the government to productively use their land and enhance food security. It’s disheartening that figures like Gift Ostallos Siziba and Denford Ngadziore have chosen to attack Zimbabwe at international forums such as the UN General Assembly, rather than contribute to the country’s progress.
