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$19 million to assist Zimbabwe’s smallholder farmers
6 March 2014, Harare – The European Union (EU) has given $19 million USD to help smallholder farmers in communal and old resettlement areas of Zimbabwe. The funds, channelled through the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), will enable smallholder farmers to receive support through two programs: Irrigation Support and livestock assistance. According to FAO, the programmes will be rolled out over a 48 month period, with the goal of sustainably increasing production and productivity in the targeted areas, as well as, assisting smallholders to engage in commercial agriculture through integrated farming approaches.
David Phiri is FAO’s Sub regional coordinator for Southern Africa and the FAO Representative in Zimbabwe. In the following interview he elaborates on the overall programme, who it will impact and the importance of this initiative in the targeted areas of the Nkayi and Lupane Districts in Matabeleland North Province of Zimbabwe. He was interviewed by phone from Harare.
Produced by:
Sandra Ferrari
Reference:
10390
