Zvimba Farmers Fear Food Shortages
By Criswell Chisango Zvimba, January 12, 2012 – Farmers here, which is home
to President Robert Mugabe, are facing various challenges ranging from an
unpredictable rainfall pattern which has seen floods in some areas to
vandalism of irrigation pipes, raising fears of another year of food
shortages.
The unpredictable rainfall pattern has seen some parts especially in
Mashonaland East witnessing floods while Mashonaland West is experiencing
dry patches.
Matinetsa Kamurayi is a peasant farmer under Chief Chirau near Murombedzi
who has lost hope to get better yields this farming season. She looks
dejected as her two hectare plot of maize at knee height is wilting away due
to high temperatures at her homestead.
She says the rains have been unpredictable and therefore as a result the
farm inputs being distributed under the Presidential scheme are coming in
late for people to start re-planting. She says inputs should have been
distributed last August for proper planning.
“If this input scheme was meant to boost production, then it should have
come earlier,” Daniel Matore of Chikaka village, a stone’s throw away from
President Robert Mugabe’s homestead at Kutama agrees with Kamurayi.
Villagers here have been relying on food handouts.In December last year
United Nations’ World Food Programme was seeking US$268 to help 1.45 million
Zimbabweans facing starvation.
Unlike Kamurayi and Matore, Takemore Dzapera of Tengwe Estate would have had
something to smile about had it not that irrigation pipes in his area were
vandalised.
“…We have water at our dam here but underground irrigation pipes were
vandalised and we cannot irrigate any crops here. We are witnessing the
effects of vandalism that heightened during farm invasions. It is sad for
us.”
Zimbabwe farmers planted 247 000 hectares of maize down from 379 993 last
year due to late rains according to Agricultural Extension Services. Deputy
agriculture minister Seiso Moyo admits it is a bad year.
However, Finance Minister Tendai Biti set aside US$15 million to
rehabilitate 56 irrigation schemes throughout the country of which Biri
irrigation scheme is among the beneficiaries.