EC to assist 180,000 small-scale farmers in Zimbabwe
HARARE. September 8. KAZINFORM At least 180,000 Zimbabwean small-scale farmers from 21 districts will be assisted with seed and fertilizer by the European Commission during this year's summer cropping season; Kazinform refers to Xinhua.
This is about one third of all rural household farmers, as the country is constituted of 59 districts.
Addressing delegates attending the 69th Zimbabwe Farmers Union congress at Esikhoveni Provincial Public Service Training Centre in Esigodini, head of European Commission delegation in Zimbabwe, Ambassador Xavier Marchal said the commission was helping with inputs for the impending summer cropping season.
"This programme will be facilitated by different NGOs with the assistance of the Food and Agricultural Organi-sation. We are also helping to buy fertilizer for small-scale farmers who are members of ZFU in collaboration with the Government at reduced prices of about 50 percent," said Marchal.
According to The Herald on Tuesday, the European Commission will make an input of 25 percent of fertilizer required by small-scale farmers in the coming farming season.
Marchal added that the EC was in support of Zimbabwe's cotton, coffee and sugar industries as they contribute immensely to the country's economy; Kazinform cites Xinhua.
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