Sustainable solution to resuscitate Zimbabwe’s Agriculture
by Dr Vincent Gwarazimba
2011 November 23 17:06:32
ADAMAWA – Zimbabwe’s agriculture is currently facing serious challenges of
productivity. In recent years, productivity has declined drastically and the
country is unable to feed itself. The reasons for the collapse of
productivity are varied and both agricultural experts and politicians blame
the failure of the sector on politics. While politics has indeed played a
significant in the demise of the sector, there are other contributing
factors.
The unplanned and chaotic land reform is sometimes blamed for food shortages
but that may not be the case because maize being the staple crop, 80% of the
crop had always been produced by small holder rural farmers. Displaced white
commercial farmers were critical to the sector for export crops such as
tobacco and horticulture and indeed quality beef for the export market.
Therefore the current challenges must be blamed on first, government policy
on the sector. Several policy frameworks on agriculture have been announced
over a period of 10 years but these have had little impact because they were
politically motivated, emotionally enacted as justification of a runaway
land reform process. The policy frameworks lacked content and specifics on
investment and role of parastatals in driving home the need to maintain or
increase productivity of the sector.
The policy frameworks also lacked technical support, processes and systems
to support implementation. The frameworks lacked alternatives and options
in the light of climate change and subsequent change in weather patterns.The
sector also faces challenges of technical expertise.
Agricultural experts have left the country due to lack of motivation and
lack of acknowledgement for their contribution. Indeed Zimbabwe at one time
had the best organized extension and research services in Africa, but
underfunding and political interference caused collapse of these services.
There is unfortunate belief that free inputs can help resuscitate the
sector. That is wrong thinking. Free inputs will not sustain the sector.
Malawi is an example where input subsidy was too expensive for the
government and relied heavily on donor support. When donors pulled the plug,
the sector is now on course to collapse.
Sustainable Solution to Resuscitation of the Sector
There is indeed no silver bullet to resuscitation of the sector but the
country needs to address the sector as follows;
Policy- Government policy on the sector must correct, organized and specific
on delivery of services and support of systems. The role of government in
the sector, providing a sustainable and suitable environment for investment
in the sector should be clearly defined. Zimbabwe must not only look at and
rely on foreign direct investment in the sector but creating an environment
that creates, develops and support local investors. Even villagers can be
investors if the policies promote and support their interests.
The problem is government has not invested in gathering information on:
a) the driving forces behind small holder farming
b) the interests of the small holder
c) the motivation of the small holder farmer
d) expectations of this farmer
e) internal and external constraints on the small holder farmer
f) infrastructural challenges facing the farmer and indeed
g) understanding the national, regional and international commodity markets
relative to the capacity of rural communities to produce quality
commodities.
Information on these will enable government to formulate a policy framework
supportive of small holder farming and budget for investment in these
farmers.
Capacity building of rural farming communities. Much of the say is about
free inputs from the Grain Marketing Board. That is not capacity building.
It is not sustainable. Solution is on empowerment in the sector. Provide
farmers with investment tools in the form of transferable Certificate of
Ownership (COOs) on land to enable farmers to access finance.
99 year lease agreements are not a silver bullet in this case but a villager
in Chibi depositing an ownership certificate with an agricultural finance
bank and get money for inputs, land preparation and even labor depending on
the size of the land. This will create value for land and make the farmer
understand and appreciate protection of the land as own for future
generations. Land must be converted into an asset for rural communities. It
must be tradable, exchangeable and protectable and viewed as source of
investment.
Enabling technical support for the small holder farmer will go a long way to
sustain productivity. Until late 1999s when the Department of Agricultural
Extension (Agritex) was dismembered by misguided policies, technical support
was effective, enabling farmer training programs and motivating farmers into
competitive mode of agricultural production. Indeed then the farmers were
receptive to training and desired to be part of growing population of
successful small holder farmers.
While the government was at hand to proffer support, small holder farmers
were equally enthusiastic to make food production successful. Now the new
and young farmers on the land are untrained and technically unqualified to
undertake and manage agricultural operations and more so they live on get
rich quick mentality through deals which sometimes don’t succeed and farmer
ends up selling inputs to make up. Hence it is time government invests
heavily in training of young farmers and providing resources to Agritex to
provide technical support on a daily basis. New farmers must be kept
conscious of their responsibilities to the nation as long as they occupy
productive land.
Farmer responsibility to the nation. Much of the current farmer mentality is
self-enrichment at the expense of the nation. Farming is indeed a business
and must be viewed so but must be undertaken with responsibility to provide
nation with sustainable food security. If a farm is suitable for and had
history of maize production, why then change to capital intensive tobacco
which often fails due to lack of finance. Government must promote sense of
responsibility to the nation and farmers must be encouraged to take farming
as serious business within the context of serving the nation.
Lack of adequate and suitable infrastructure is one of the major constraints
in resuscitating Zimbabwe agriculture. Taking cognizance of small holder
farmers as key stakeholders in the business of food production and supply,
most of the farming areas are inaccessible due to lack of or dilapidated
infrastructure. Thus roads no longer exist because of years of neglect. To
make an immediate difference on farming, roads must be rebuilt or improved
to increase farmer access to inputs and markets. Domboshava and Mutoko are
able to supply Harare with much needed vegetable because of better roads and
services.
Supporting and training of technical staff. Research and Agritex staff
require support to motivate and drive them into supporting farmers. There
are many ways of doing this. It is not about salaries but providing support
in the form of vehicle loans payable over a period of time. Previously
Agritex officers used to get brand new single cab trucks to enable to access
areas remote. Motor bikes will also make a difference.
Thus budget to the Ministry of Agriculture must be inclusive of such
vehicles on an annual basis. The technical neglect of the agriculture has
also led to decline in quality of human resources. This requires government
to recapitalize institutions like Chibero, Gwebi, Mlezu, Esighodini and
others and increase capacity and quality.
Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) and Cold Storage Company
(CSC). Much has been said about these organizations failing to fulfill their
national responsibilities of augmenting food supplies. These two
organisations are endowed with land resources but have over the years
declined into money wasting monoliths due to neglect by government and
mismanagement by incompetent staff.
While there are calls for their privatization that probably is not the
solution but take on board a public/private sector arrangement or contract
management and let the private sector run the institutions for and on behalf
of government. With government providing a limited guarantee of loans
acquired from banks and/or with involvement of banks in driving the nation
towards a definite goal, CSC and ARDA could make an impact on food security
of the nation.
Financial institutions are currently risk averse when it comes to supporting
farmers, especially small holder farmers. This is happening across Africa
and this has resulted in Africa being food insecure. Indeed the banks have
lost confidence in agriculture as a business but it is government policy
that creates and motivates desire for investment in the sector.
Perhaps one way of doing this is to have a policy backed by legal framework
that works towards cooperation between government and banks in providing
financial support to small holder farmers with tacit support and involvement
of Agritex. Then Agritex must play a leading role through an Agritex-linked
agricultural development limited government/private sector company
government and banks.
Commodity pricing is also a major factor in food production. Previously,
honest pre-season commodity price announcement promoted maize production.
While this has happened in the last few years, however, government did not
have money to pay for the produce. There is need to develop an honest
culture of does business with farmers and government must take
responsibilities having retained the ownership of the Grain Marketing Board.
To make a difference government and private sector must come into position
on making the GMB, an institution responsible for food security but
answerable to both government and private investors. There is money in food
and the private sector has the desire to access the many food storage
facilities in the countries in partnership with government.
Agricultural Investment Commission. To oversee and promote investment in the
sector. The commission to support and work with small holder farmers,
working with and in support of Agritex, financial institutions towards
creating commodity market dynamics based on internal and external forces.
Leading markets reviews and guiding policy formulation, working with
agricultural establishments for effective and productive use of resources
towards a sustainable market structure and food security. A commission based
on both government and private sector fostering partnership in developing
the sector.
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DR Vincent Gwarazimba, Senior Agricultural Consultant, Adamawa Agricultural
Development and Investment Limited (AADIL), Adamawa State Government,
NIGERIA. Email [email protected] Phone .