Government has put in place a statutory instrument to deal with those implicated of abusing of inputs provided under the Command Agriculture scheme, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said.
Speaking on behalf of Vice President Emerson Mnangangwa, Minister of state in the vice president’s office, Clifford Sibanda said Statutory Instrument 79 of 2017 has been put in place to deal with issues related to abuse of inputs provided under Command Agriculture.
“Government has put in place Statutory Instrument 79 of 2017, Agricultural Marketing Authority (Command Agriculture Scheme for Domestic Crop, livestock and fisheries production regulations to deal with issues related to abuse of inputs provided under command agriculture.
“Government will also take stern measures against fraudsters who take advantage of cash challenges and entice our farmers to side market their produce at uncompetitive prices,” he said.
Sibanda said government will monitor the operations of the Grain Marketing Board for the benefit of A1 and A2 farmers.
“Government will equally ensure that the Grain Marketing Board operates effectively and efficiently for the benefit of our communal, A1 and A2 farmers,” said Sibanda.
Minister of Agriculture Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Joseph Made said the input schemes are investment mechanisms hence abusing them will be considered criminal.
“There are criminal activities that we will deal with.
“It is an investment but the spirit must be that we must use the inputs and return what we have been given. Therefore the government will take measures to those farmers who abuse the presidential inputs,” said Made.