Online Reporter
Cabinet received and noted an update on the food security outlook to March 2025 and the 2024/2025 summer season plan, as presented by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Honourable Dr Anxious Jongwe Masuka.
The existing total stock in the Strategic Grain Reserve, comprising wheat, maize and traditional grains amount to 245 052 tonnes. The projected consumption through the food deficit mitigation programme, Zunde RaMambo and the School Feeding Programme for the period December 2024 to March 2025 is 241 089 tonnes.
The private sector will continue to import for commercial purpose, stock feed and assist in the combating of drought. A record 563 961 tonnes of wheat had been harvested to date, surpassing the 465 548 tonnes achieved in 2023.
Trucks from the Grain Marketing Board continue to distribute stock feed. Meanwhile, the establishment of ward drought mitigation centres has recorded 43 percent of the targeted 1 035 wards.
The 2024/2025 summer season plan aims to increase production of cereals to 3 274 200 tonnes, against the 744 271 tonnes obtained during the 2023/2024 summer season. The overall production volumes of major crops are expected to increase by 347 percent from a mere 915 000 tonnes to over 4 million tonnes. The production target for cereals is 3,3 million tonnes, while that for pulses is 819 500 tonnes. To date, over 746 238 hectares of maize have been planted under various support programmes, being 41,5 percent of the target.
Under the Presidential Input Schemes, 117 percent of the targeted 9 million plots have been prepared by 116 percent of the targeted 3 million rural households.
Regarding the current dry spell, agronomic advisory from Agritex should guide farmers at the local level. A prediction by the Meteorological Services of normal to above normal rainfall is still in place.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CABINET DIRECTIVE TO BAN ALLUVIAL MINING AND AN UPGRADE ON THE PROPOSED RIVER REHABILITATION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY
Cabinet received an update on the progress made on the banning of alluvial mining and the rehabilitation of degraded rivers throughout the country, as presented by the Minister Masuka.
Following the directive by Cabinet on August 20 2024, to ban riverbed mining, an Inter-Ministerial Committee, under the chairmanship of the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development was set up to spearhead the enforcement of the afore-stated directive and to carry out a survey on the status of the river ecosystems and recommend more deterrent penalties for breach of the law.
Accordingly, on November 29 2024, Statutory Instrument 188 of 2024: Environmental Management (Control of Alluvial Mining) (Amendment) Regulations, 2024 (No.3) was gazetted. The ban on alluvial mining has been implemented and enforced throughout the country.
The Statutory Instrument introduced stiffer penalties for offenders and allows for the seizure of minerals, machinery, equipment and vehicles. To date, a total of 344 arrests have been made across the country.
UPDATE ON VARIOUS MINING PROJECTS
Cabinet received and noted an update on various mining projects as presented by the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Honourable Winston Chitando.
The Palm River Mines and Energy targets the following: production of stainless steel; electricity generation of 1 000 megawatts; production of one million tonnes of high carbon ferrochrome; and production of one million tonnes of coke. Palm River Mines and Energy has the following projects which are milestones towards the investment of US$3,6 billion: two by 50MW power stations; 100 000 closed furnace high carbon ferrochrome production; and 200 000 coke production.
The Zimbabwe Platinum Mines (Pvt) Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Government for the implementation of the US$1,8 billion expansion programme over a 10-year period from 2021 to 2031. To date, US$1,1 billion has already been invested.
Implementation of the expansion programme has deliberately been sequenced to begin with projects that unlock capacity up the value chain. The projects under the US$1,8 billion expansion programme include the Ngezi third concentrator plant at a cost of US$104 million; the upgrading of the Bimha Mine at a cost of US$82 million; the construction of a flagship solar plant at a cost of US$201 million; the smelter expansion component at a cost of US$360 million; the extension of the SMC tailings storage facility at a cost of US$25 million; and the upgrade of Mupani Mine at a cost of US$330 million.
MULTI HAZARD CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR THE 2024/2025 RAINFALL SEASON
Cabinet received the report on the multi hazard contingency plan for the 2024/2025 rainfall season, which was presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Honourable Prof Amon Murwira as the acting chairman for the Cabinet Committee on Environment, Disaster Prevention and Management.
Cabinet advises that the multi-hazard contingency plan has been developed to prepare and adequately respond to a multiplicity of hazards that include tropical cyclones, riverine flooding, flash floods, landslides, heat waves, severe thunderstorms, hailstorms, fires, and human and animal epidemics, water borne diseases, crop pests, strong winds, mid-season dry spells, mine accidents as well as road traffic accidents. It targets any disaster that evolves beyond the copying capacity of local communities as well as transboundary diseases.
The nation is advised that riverine flooding may be prevalent in most flood prone areas during the January, February and March 2025 period due to anticipated high rainfall.
PROPOSED HOSTING OF THE 40th ANNUAL SADC TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE (TBT) COOPERATION STRUCTURES MEETINGS: 24-28 MARCH 2025: ELEPHANT HILLS HOTEL, VICTORIA FALLS
Cabinet received and approved the proposal to host the 40th annual SADC Technical Barriers to Trade Cooperation Structures Meetings as presented by the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Honourable NM Ndhlovu.
They will be held from March 24 to 28 2025 at Elephant Hills Hotel in Victoria Falls. The assumption of SADC chairmanship by His Excellency the President, Dr ED.Mnangagwa has bestowed upon the Government of Zimbabwe the privilege to host the meetings.
They will run under the theme, “Promoting Regional Harmonisation of Standards for Industrialisation and Economic Growth”. They are aimed at addressing the region’s Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT); to explore the regional block’s readiness for the African Free Trade Area (AFCFTA); and to support industrialisation through development of standardisation, quality assurance, accreditation and metrology.
PROPOSED ADOPTION OF ZIMBABWE’S NATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION (NPA) FOR THE UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW 2022- 2026
Cabinet received and noted the proposed Zimbabwe’s National Plan of Action for the Universal Periodic Review 2022-2026, as presented by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi.
Following the Third Universal Periodic Review, the Government of Zimbabwe through the Universal Periodic Review National Steering Committee, embarked on a process to develop the national plan of action for the implementation of the accepted recommendations. Accordingly, the following actions and activities aimed at implementing the accepted recommendations will be undertaken: identification of treaties that need domestication and taking measures to domesticate them; identification of legislation and policies to be aligned with the Constitution; training of law enforcement agents, prison officers, judicial officers and other public officers on human rights; strengthening and decentralisation of justice delivery institutions; and strengthening programmes for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals with focus on poverty eradication and providing safety nets for vulnerable groups.
MID-CYCLE REPORT ON PRIORITY PROJECTS FOR THE THIRD 100-DAY CYCLE OF 2024
Cabinet received reports on progress made in the implementation of priority projects for the third 100-Day Cycle of 2024, as presented by the Ministers of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs; Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development; Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion; and Industry and Commerce.
The Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi highlighted the following achievements for projects under his purview:
Inmates were capacitated on horticulture production and fisheries at Anju Prison Farm in Matabeleland North Province;
Four blocks of five single rooms have been completed at Mazowe prison farm in Mashonaland Central Province;
Construction works of the Gwanda new court complex; the Mutawatawa new magistrates’ court; Cowdray Park new magistrates’ court; and Kwekwe new Magistrates’ court all progressing well; and
The fourth phase of the Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS) is 75 percent completion.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Honourable Monica Mutsvagwa highlighted the following achievements for projects under her purview:
Construction of Hauna fruit and vegetable processing plant phase 3 in Honde Valley, Manicaland Province is at an advanced stage;
Twenty-one micro-small and medium enterprises from the mining, agro-based, retail and manufacturing sectors across seven provinces in the country were funded through the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Cooperation;
Twenty-nine projects in dairy farming, potato farming, bakery, detergent making, events management, bead work, cleaning services, peanut butter were funded in all the ten provinces of the country through the Women’s Development Fund;
Twenty-seven community projects mainly in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors were funded through the Zimbabwe Community Development Fund;
Construction of Chikomba factory shells for the micro-small and medium enterprises Phase 3 in Chivhu, Mashonaland East Province is progressing well; and
Construction of the Mutapa workspace for micro-small and medium enterprises in Gweru, Midlands Province is at an advanced stage.
The Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Honourable Mthuli Ncube reported progress on projects under his purview as follows:
The tax and revenue administration system that is compliant with internationally accepted tax administration best practices was launched;
Under the image building, international engagement and re-engagement initiative, three technical meetings of the structured dialogue platform sector working groups were held against a target of two structured dialogue meetings;
The National Development Strategy (NDS) 2 was approved by Cabinet on September 17;
The operationalisation of the International Financial Service Centre is ongoing; and
Two listings (Invictus Energy and Edgars) on the Victoria Falls Stock Exchange took place against a target of four listings.
The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Honourable Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndhlovu reported progress on projects under his purview as follows:
Civil works for a warehouse by Mount Meru Millers were completed and the project is at 50 percent of completion, with a target to invest US$1 million;
Blue Ribbon Foods is investing US$500 000 for the upgrading of the prepack flour packing plant unit, and US$3 million to increase its grain silos capacity by 30 000 tonnes;
The Ingwebu Breweries civil works are ongoing and the target is to invest a total of US$1m7 million; and
56 consumer education and awareness campaigns have been conducted throughout the country’s ten provinces.
PRINCIPLES OF THE REFUGEES (AMENDMENT) BILL
Cabinet received and approved the Principles of the Refugees (Amendment) Bill, as presented by the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Honourable July Moyo.
The objectives of the Amendment Bill include the alignment of the Act with the 2013 Zimbabwe Constitution as well as the alignment with the changes and developments that have taken place over the years regarding the international refugee protection instruments over the years, namely: the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol; and the 1969 Organisation of African Union (OAU) Convention.
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