Zanu-PF legislator says govt is not serious

Zanu-PF legislator Darlington Chiwa, representing Chiredzi West, criticized the government's lack of commitment to supporting sugarcane farming despite declaring it a strategic crop. Speaking at an event organized by Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe (THZ) at Triangle Country Club, Chiwa highlighted the paradox of full dams in Masvingo province while nearby communities suffered from starvation due to insufficient government support.

Chiwa emphasized the need for serious government intervention, noting that despite ample water resources in the region, including the Tugwi-Mukosi dam capable of irrigating over 20,000 hectares, little effort has been made to utilize these resources effectively. He expressed frustration that while sugarcane has been designated as a strategic crop, it has not received the policy support needed to thrive, contrasting it with the support given to other strategic crops like tobacco.

Regarding government budget priorities, Chiwa argued for a shift towards securing water resources in drought-prone areas like Chiredzi, suggesting that the region could become a breadbasket if adequately supported. He called for equitable support for sugarcane farmers, including small-scale growers, similar to the support provided to tobacco farmers, despite Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe being a private entity.

Chiwa's remarks underscored the untapped potential of Masvingo's water bodies, such as Muzhwi, Bangala, Manjirenji, and Mutirikwi dams, which currently support minimal irrigation despite their capacity. He lamented that while these resources could alleviate food insecurity, they remain largely untapped, exacerbating local communities' hardship.