News / National
Broke Government to import food - Mnangagwa
12 Mar 2015 at 06:00hrs | Views
GOVERNMENT has resolved to import food due to looming drought caused by low rain but parliamentarians urged government to fully utilise $400 000 set aside for cloud seeding.
Legislators said importing food will cost millions of dollars but if the cloud seeding funds are properly used that would save the country the much needed cash.
The issue of food security came up in Parliament on Wednesday.
Zanu PF MP Beatrice Nyamupinga asked vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa on government preparedness.
"My question is directed to the Leader of the House realising that the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development is not in the House. Yesterday, on the weather report, we were told that there would be no more rains and that if there were going to be any rains, they were going to be for a very short period.
"This shows that we are likely to be facing a drought or reduced yields. The nation, my constituents and everyone would want to know the state of preparedness by Government in terms of food security since we appear to be heading for a drought?,".
In response, Mnangagwa said Government has begun exploring intervention measures.
"First and foremost those who give us the weather forecasts, had informed us as the Government that this was their forecast before they went public about it.
"We had our caucus yesterday (Tuesday) and we looked into that issue and we were thinking about the security of the country in case of a drought. We agreed that we were going to be importing food. We tasked the Minister of Finance and Economic Development to mobilise financial resources in anticipation of a drought. So, do not be bothered we are making preparations," he said.
However, David Chapfika every year the country make provision for cloud seeding in the budget.
"I am aware that US$400 000 was set aside for cloud seeding. Is it not advisable to utilise the US$400 000 that we set aside to do cloud seeding for a month so that we would be able to harvest instead of importing food that will cost more than a million dollars."
Legislators said importing food will cost millions of dollars but if the cloud seeding funds are properly used that would save the country the much needed cash.
The issue of food security came up in Parliament on Wednesday.
Zanu PF MP Beatrice Nyamupinga asked vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa on government preparedness.
"My question is directed to the Leader of the House realising that the Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development is not in the House. Yesterday, on the weather report, we were told that there would be no more rains and that if there were going to be any rains, they were going to be for a very short period.
In response, Mnangagwa said Government has begun exploring intervention measures.
"First and foremost those who give us the weather forecasts, had informed us as the Government that this was their forecast before they went public about it.
"We had our caucus yesterday (Tuesday) and we looked into that issue and we were thinking about the security of the country in case of a drought. We agreed that we were going to be importing food. We tasked the Minister of Finance and Economic Development to mobilise financial resources in anticipation of a drought. So, do not be bothered we are making preparations," he said.
However, David Chapfika every year the country make provision for cloud seeding in the budget.
"I am aware that US$400 000 was set aside for cloud seeding. Is it not advisable to utilise the US$400 000 that we set aside to do cloud seeding for a month so that we would be able to harvest instead of importing food that will cost more than a million dollars."
Source - Byo24News
