News / National
Mugabe commissions agric machinery facility
22 May 2015 at 09:52hrs | Views
President Robert Mugabe has commended the government of Brazil for extending the US$98 million agricultural equipment loan facility to Zimbabwe saying this will boost the ZIM ASSET economic policy.
Mugabe said this while commissioning agricultural machinery under the Zimbabwe-Brazil More Food for Africa Programme at the GMB Msasa Depot in Harare on Friday.
"It's not just soccer that they know (Brazil). You can see the technology that they have developed," said the President.
President Mugabe said agriculture is the basic industry on which other sectors rely on for raw materials and other products.
He said the programme commissioned today emphasizes food production at household level and food security for the nation.
Mugabe revealed that the agriculture equipment facility is being rolled out in three phases.
The first phase which has been rolled out today is valued at US$38.6 million while the 2nd and 3rd phases will each be valued at US$30 million respectively.
President Mugabe emphasized that the equipment programme is meant to boost the agrarian reform through capacity building and technology transfer to smallholder farmers, adding it aims to eradicate hunger and poverty.
Mugabe implored the implementers of the programme to ensure that the equipment reaches the intended beneficiaries, adding that the nation must not disappoint those who have assisted the country through this facility.
"We are not giving individual equipment. No. We are giving the equipment to people as a whole, to the communities. Let us be more productive through this agriculture equipment facility and produce even more for exports, not just for our local consumption," he said.
The US$98 million Zimbabwe-Brazil More Food for Africa Programme loan facility has a two percent interest rate per annum which is payable in 15 years with a three-year grace period.
Mugabe said this while commissioning agricultural machinery under the Zimbabwe-Brazil More Food for Africa Programme at the GMB Msasa Depot in Harare on Friday.
"It's not just soccer that they know (Brazil). You can see the technology that they have developed," said the President.
President Mugabe said agriculture is the basic industry on which other sectors rely on for raw materials and other products.
He said the programme commissioned today emphasizes food production at household level and food security for the nation.
The first phase which has been rolled out today is valued at US$38.6 million while the 2nd and 3rd phases will each be valued at US$30 million respectively.
President Mugabe emphasized that the equipment programme is meant to boost the agrarian reform through capacity building and technology transfer to smallholder farmers, adding it aims to eradicate hunger and poverty.
Mugabe implored the implementers of the programme to ensure that the equipment reaches the intended beneficiaries, adding that the nation must not disappoint those who have assisted the country through this facility.
"We are not giving individual equipment. No. We are giving the equipment to people as a whole, to the communities. Let us be more productive through this agriculture equipment facility and produce even more for exports, not just for our local consumption," he said.
The US$98 million Zimbabwe-Brazil More Food for Africa Programme loan facility has a two percent interest rate per annum which is payable in 15 years with a three-year grace period.
Source - zbc
