By Wallace Mawire
Zimbabwe’s Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr John Basera will officially launch the Potato Value Chain Financing Facility being administered by AFC Holdings on Wednesday, 20 April 2022.
It is reported by the ministry that the facility is an import substitution intervention which aims at boosting productivity and profitability in the potato value chain as well as expanding the starch options for the country.
It is added that whilst the model is supported by the Government of Zimbabwe through a performance guarantee to ensure farmer-friendly interest rates, the scheme will ensure full recovery of any support given by the bank on the cost of inputs.
The scheme is reported to be anchored on tripartite arrangements involving the bank, farmers and the off takers.
The ministry says that considering the complexity surrounding the perishability of potatoes, the facility will be accessed by farmers with contracts or off-take agreements with registered buyers including potato processors, fast-food outlets, supermarket chains, seed houses and distributors of fresh produce.
The ministry adds that the scheme directly contributes into the Ministry’s strategy of transforming Zimbabwe’s agriculture to accelerate the attainment of Vision 2030 through the implementation of National Development Strategy (NDS1).
The launch will be hosted by one of the first beneficiaries of the scheme, Mr Ronald Museka at Parklands Farm in Norton, Mashonaland West Province.
