Ziwfat seeks loans for women farmers

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THE Zimbabwe Indigenous Women Farmers’ Association Trust (Ziwfat) has pleaded with financial institutions to provide loans to women farmers to help them grow enough food to alleviate the unfolding food crisis.

THE Zimbabwe Indigenous Women Farmers’ Association Trust (Ziwfat) has pleaded with financial institutions to provide loans to women farmers to help them grow enough food to alleviate the unfolding food crisis. JUNIOR MOYO OWN CORRESPONDENT

Addressing women farmers at Elangeni Training Centre in Bulawayo on Monday, Ziwfat president Depinah Nkomo said food security was the major concern of women farmers and they needed help to grow maize.

Ziwfat has a membership of about 5 500 women and more are expected to join.

Nkomo said most farmers had abandoned growing maize because it fetched low prices on the market and had opted for tobacco and cotton resulting in the current food shortages the country is facing.

“If the price of the maize and other food stuffs could be increased, this would also boost our food security,” Nkomo said.

“We are grateful that the government supports agriculture and we hope that if the price of maize increases it will also increase the number of maize farmers,” she said.

She said although agricultural loans helped women in their farming activities, the major challenge they faced was the difficulty paying back the loan in short-term periods of between six and 12 months.

“We are appealing for loans which are favourable so that we start meaningful projects at our farms. If the loans are paid back in 10 years or more at a reasonable interest, this will go a long way in our farming endeavours,” she said.

Nkomo further said sanctions would not affect the country if farmers produced more food to enhance food security.

“We will embarrass them when our economy starts performing well .”