Bulilima West Member of Parliament (MP) Dingumuzi Phuti has urged farmers in Matabeleland to practice new methods of farming to improve production as climate change patterns continue to affect farmers in the region.
Most farmers lost their crops in the 2018-2019 rainy season which was characterized by low rainfall and El Nino, leaving a lot of people vulnerable to hunger while livestock also succumbed due to dry pastures.
Speaking on the side-lines of a public consultation meeting on the freedom of information bill, Tuesday, MP Phuti said communities have to take advantage of the government’s call for farmers to embrace new methods of farming.
“Climate change has not been merciful to us as Sub-Saharan Africa, but we are hardest hit in Zimbabwe for reasons, some of which are to do with irresponsible manner of farming that some of our farmers are doing.
“They are not taking heed of government’s clarion call on methods of farming; some people are just choosing laziness to production.
“This country has vast land that is meant to be used, if used to full capacity should be averting this calamity that we have had,” Hon Phuti said.
He said even though the Ministry of Social Welfare has been giving people food, communities have to engage in food for work programmes.
“I am happy that in terms of human hunger, the Ministry of Social Welfare has been doing very well in alleviating hunger but I am prepared to be very unpopular but telling the truth that will lead us to Canaan in prosperity, we should have not just drought relief but food for work programmes.
“We should teach our people that you get something after working, we have countries like China where people don’t sleep, it has become a culture that they work.
“We have countries that we envy today, no one built those countries for them but it’s their labor , can not have a nation that thinks its fashionable to go by Trade Gold Bulawayo to wave money and make millions to buy houses,” he said.
“We should be a people that dig trenches to mold bricks, put brick after another to make roads , to do work in our communities if there is need for food if we didn’t plough because there was no rain, therefor government is buying somewhere and giving you, it is a replacement of labor that you should have done had rains been there and you ploughed.
“Let us learn to give our people relief after they work, not just free it teaches us to be a nation of lazy people,” said Hon. Phuti.
