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China donates US$14m goods

CHINA yesterday handed over a consignment of rice and wheat worth US$14 million to the Zimbabwean Government for distribution to the poor. The consignment comprised 9 722,85 tonnes of

wheat and 4 908,80 tonnes of rice. Accepting the donation in Harare, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made, said the assistance had come at an opportune time. He said some parts of the country were facing food shortages.

“The donation will go a long way in alleviating hunger among the needy communities especially those that have been affected by erratic rainfall patterns that have characterised our agriculture over the past two seasons. “The most affected are the southern parts of the country, which even under the current season continue to be haunted by erratic rainfall patterns that will adversely affect crop and livestock yields,” Minister Made said.

He said that the donation will complement the Government’s Grain Loan Scheme that targeted food distressed communities to access grain through the Grain Marketing Board and pay back after harvesting.

The Chinese government, he said, had done a lot in terms of assisting Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector as demonstrated by its establishment of the Agricultural Technology Demonstration Centre at Gwebi College, which they wholly funded, among other things. Minister Made revealed that China had sent a team of agricultural experts who were attached to the Ministry from 2009 to 2010 in a bid to enhance the capacity of the various departments such as irrigation, crop production, research, aquaculture, livestock, horticulture, dairy and agricultural planning.

A second team of five experts arrived this year while another 10 are expected later. He said the Chinese government had in the past helped in the training of many public servants and had provided credit facilities to support Government’s mechanisation programme through the provision of tractors, combine harvesters and other implements. Chinese Charge D’ Affaires to Zimbabwe Mr Zhao Yong said the donation symbolised the close relationship and sincerity between Zimbabwe and China.

“This is one of the biggest humanitarian gestures the Chinese government has ever given to a foreign country. I believe the relief will be well distributed and benefit local people in need, especially those living in rural areas and suffering from drought and starvation,” Mr Zhao said. He said his country was prepared to share experiences and technologies in agriculture with Zimbabwe to enhance productivity.

“Under the framework of the Forum of China-Africa Co-operation, the Chinese government has provided agricultural assistance to your country. “We built an agricultural technical demonstration centre that is waiting to be handed over,” said Mr Zhao. Meanwhile, speaking on the sidelines of the donation Minister Made castigated Finance Minister Tendai Biti over his reluctance to fund agriculture.

“Minister Biti always claims that he has channelled billions of dollars into the agricultural sector yet there is nothing that he has done on the ground. “On paper there are billions of dollars for the sector but in reality he has never released the money, so that on its own should show that he is not committed to supporting the economy’s vital sector,” said Minister Made.

He said the country needed to re-capitalise fertiliser manufacturing companies as well as improve its mechanisation and human resources capacities but this was proving difficult in the absence of reliable funding.