Seed Co Agronomist, Trust Muzvozviona says they will donate various crop seeds To Hurungwe Prison Farm next season.
He said this yesterday during the media tour on production and rehabilitation held at Hurungwe Prison Farm.
The Seed giant donated crop seeds after the prisoners had asked for support from different stakeholders who were willing to help them with inputs for them to use in their agricultural activities.
Muzvozviona said Seed Co was going to work with Hurungwe Prison Farm and provide crop seeds of different types as a way to upgrade their agricultural produce every year insisting that this initiative will be an ongoing process that will be registered for the coming seasons.
“Next year we are going to work with prisons on their agricultural project. We have witnessed that they have ploughed Nzou SC 727 which is a good seed in terms of producing higher yields but we will give them another Seed Co product which is Shumba SC 659 which is good and a fast growing crop because it also produce higher yield like Nzou SC 727 that they are using.
“Those who are here at Hurungwe Prison Farm they want to produce so we are going to work with them by giving them demonstration seeds which will be free of charge and they will produce them and factor out the results themselves. They will be a variety of them which includes SC Nzou, Shumba, Tsoko and Tsuro which we will donate to give a chance for the prisoners to select a seed that is favorable to this place.” He said.
Mr Muzvozviona also pledged that they are going to provide assistance for the prisoners when they go back to the communities by giving them what he called a “starter pack” for free which he said will be a way to empower them to start their own farming activities.
“We are very happy because we registered that Hurungwe Prison Farm is productive in terms of farming activities. They took a positive side of choosing the right seed despite that we also look forward to help prisoners when they are out of prison by giving them what we call a starter pack for free which will empower them to begin their own farming activities when they go to the Community.” He added.
However Deputy Commissioner General Of Correctional Services Dr G. Musango who was also the guest of honor appreciated the seed co donation assuring all stakeholders that were willing to help and partner with Zimbabwe Prisons Correctional Services that they were welcome.
“For Seed Co we comment that, however for those who want to partner with us this is what we are calling for. The community has to come and Partner with ZPC on the rehabilitation exercises and enhance our products so we are open for those partnerships.” She said.
Deputy Commissioner General DR. G Masango was accompanied by Commissioner Luke Zvondai Mukuvire who is the Commissioner Production and Rehabilitation, Commissioner Ernest Pambayi who is the Officer Commanding mash west province, Superitended Peter Ndemera who is the Provincial Farm Managerand Chief Correctional Officer T Masara who is the Officer In Charge Of Hurungwe Prison.
Meanwhile Hurungwe Prison Farm is an amalgamation of three farms with a total of 1 729hectares out of which 1000 hectares being potential arable land.
Furthermore the farms total irrigable land is 165 haters consisting of 80 hectares under center pivot whilst effective production and center pivot is 74 hectares and 15 hectors being under drip irrigation.
The Farm was taken during the land reform programme period and converted to Hurungwe Prison Farm.
