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Friday, March 29, 2024
HomeNewsAGS Embarks In US$3 Million Project Targeting 50k Vulnerable Rural Farmers

AGS Embarks In US$3 Million Project Targeting 50k Vulnerable Rural Farmers

Africa Grain and Seed (AGS), a global organization that seeks to mitigate the current problems faced by Africa’s rural communities such as hunger, poverty, and nutrition has partnered with several international and local companies in a US$3, 28 million Buy Back Scheme (BBS), a programme which seeks to empower 50 000 vulnerable rural farmers across the country.

By Tichakunda Mhiko

Some of the companies working in synergy with AGS to enhance agricultural productivity in rural communities through the BBS include, KamPay, Humble Smiles, Grow a tree foundation Goldstone, Hammersmith, Windmill (Pvt) Ltd, 24 solutions, Mpumalanga Broadcasting Television and Black Excellence Network.

BBS is set to run for the next decade assisting vulnerable rural farmers that do not have access to seeds and farming inputs.

AGS vice president Zandile Matiwaza during Wednesday media tour last week in the capital announced that BBS was a programme that would cater for the most vulnerable rural communities across the country.

“In the rollout we were empowered by KamPay. We want to identify 50,000 farmers that we can empower in terms of giving them inputs and resources.

“We will be rolling out inputs in partnership with Windmills and Grow a Tree foundation, we avail the seeds or seedlings then our other partners will avail other inputs, in this US$ 3,28 million programme.

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“In the BBS programme we are looking for the vulnerable people, the people who have been hardest hit,” said Matiwaza.

Matiwaza added that BBS is guided by the mantra “invest local and buy local” where the programme will target local retailers before it expands to international markets.

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Grow A Tree Foundation chief executive officer Kudakwashe Manyanga noted that his organisation was on board the BBS programme as a technical partner that will engage stakeholders to ensure that the exercise caters for the vulnerable rural farmers.

Manyanga added that Grow A Tree Foundation would liaise with the ministry of agriculture’s extension officers to locate the vulnerable farmers across the country.

“For vulnerable farmers to benefit from this exercise they will have to register for the programme. However, we are aware that some vulnerable rural communities might not be aware of this programme designated to empower them.

“Hence we will take a holistic approach to the way we will handle the programme by engaging technical extension officers from the government to assist us with information about vulnerable communities across the country’s provinces.

“When they register under the programme, we will have their profile on our database, where there are, the weather conditions and type of soil.

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“From that registration process the information we get, we are then able to program what is required from that particular location.We also profile the challenges that they will be facing, possibly water issues and household energy as well,” noted Manyanga.

Manyanga added that under the BBS programme they will not assist vulnerable farmers that will benefit from the exercise without first establishing a market for the farm produce being farmed.

The BBS programme will invest in avocado, papaya (pawpaw), sugar beans , sunflower seeds, citrus fruits and other indegenous farm produce.

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