The Government has commended the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) Mashonaland West Province for boosting food security and commercial agriculture through a large-scale horticulture project at Hurungwe Prison Farm.
Speaking during the opening of cabbage sales on Tuesday, Guest of Honour Farai Mavhima, who represented the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland West Province, Honourable Marian Chombo, praised the project’s contribution to agricultural production and income generation.
The 100-day project, which ran from February 9 to May 19, produced 20,192 heads of cabbage now being sold to the public, supermarkets and wholesalers.
Hurungwe Prison Farm Manager, Chief Correctional Officer Happison Masocha, said the farm also has another 23,000 Majesty F1 cabbage plants in seedbeds to maintain production.
“We encountered water challenges for about a week that slightly affected the onion crop, but we managed to resolve the issue swiftly,” said CCO Masocha.
He said 450,000 Ilanga onion bulbs are nearing harvest, while another 450,000 onion seedlings are under cultivation.
Officer Commanding ZPCS Mashonaland West Province, Commissioner Luke Zondai Makuvire, said support from stakeholders, corporate partners and local communities has strengthened production projects in the province.
An inmate involved in the project said the programme had equipped inmates with practical farming skills in fertiliser application, pest control and irrigation management.
“Being part of this project at Hurungwe has completely changed my outlook. I have gained invaluable, hands-on commercial agronomy skills,” said the inmate.
The Hurungwe Prison Farm initiative forms part of ZPCS rehabilitation and production programmes aimed at improving food security and preparing inmates for reintegration through vocational training.
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