Sustainability in agro and farming business
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
Thursday, 02 February 2012 15:52
By Rodney Ndamba
THE history of Zimbabwe’s economy cannot be separated from its past
agricultural successes in Africa in the 1980s and 1990s. While today things
have changed, the future of farming now lies in the presence of sustainable
agricultural processes.
Of course, farming faces risks of climatic change associated with rising
temperatures, droughts, siltation and excessive rainfall. For 2012, the UN
predicted rising food prices in Africa due to poor food production. For
farmers in Zimbabwe, their ability to produce faces various challenges such
as finance, electricity supply and modern farming equipment etc.
It is interesting to note that there has been very little local emphasis on
solar energy use for farming. Many farmers struggle with irrigation during
load shedding periods where they end up using firewood as is the case with
tobacco farmers. Reports indicate that 46 000ha of forest were destroyed
last year for firewood to cure 133 million kgs of tobacco, causing concerns
for climate and the environment. However, some of these challenges can be
overcome by considering sustainability approaches.
While the agricultural sector may be faced with energy supply issues like
many countries in southern Africa, investing in solar technology will soon
become unavoidable. Interestingly, desert countries like Israel have made
great success in agriculture by using solar energy and technology. Israel
relies on solar energy for agriculture and for domestic use.
However, investing in such a project requires capital. This, therefore,
means that local banks may have to start thinking of offering sustainability
products in their portfolios. For example, banks could offer loans
specifically for importing agricultural solar equipment for farmers, for
which government could provide incentives.
This article, however, explores typical issues on agricultural
sustainability for local farmers while sharing a few thoughts and views on
the perspective that farming is a business. Essentially, farming requires
strategic planning which cannot be done by just the farm owner alone. A
farmer has to consider his workers who are directly involved in production.
Furthermore, suppliers, customers, agricultural experts, weather experts,
regulators and financiers are essential for a good and successful farming
business. Farmers have to consider engaging key stakeholders frequently,
whether through an association or individually.
Typical modern farmers think of technology, best practices and sustainable
agriculture. For many farmers, it has been hard for them to notice that
agricultural sustainability is certainly becoming a barrier in many foreign
markets. In some markets they now require information on how the soil from
which the produce are grown is managed.
Further, some consider the working conditions of the farm workers. A typical
example is in how Kenya’s and South America’s farmers have been trying to
get entry for their produce into the European Union markets. Some countries
actually demand that agricultural products entering their markets be
ISO14001 certified. ISO14001 relates to environmental management systems.
However, agricultural sustainability requires farmers to consider their
impact on economic, ecological (environment), and social needs. The
evolution of sustainability thinking in agriculture has seen farmers
considering and competing on best practices. Some farmers consider how they
impact on the environment, society, stakeholders and the economy in general.
Certainly, there is a great deal in a farmer engaging stakeholders. For
example, engaging with workers helps maintain good working relations that
provide motivation and a shared farming vision.
A well-motivated workforce through incentives, good working conditions and
moral support has potential for good farming output. Some good farmers
consider profit-sharing the same way as some successful companies do.
Equally, it is important to engage communities around farming areas as they
provide additional labour where necessary. They provide an opportunity for
understanding how farming activities are impacting on them and the
environment.
Incidents of poor stakeholder engagement by farmers can be noticed during
marketing seasons when price wars emerge. It is noticeable that some farmers
overlook the importance of customers, who in turn give indications of
quality and the kind of produce expected and how much they will be able to
pay in the following season. With this in mind, a farmer is able to control
costs in order to meet market needs. Good farmers should meet both primary
and secondary stakeholders at least twice or more a year for ideas,
indications and guidance. The process of stakeholder engagement is an
ongoing process which helps create an agricultural value chain system.
The concept of sustainability in agriculture requires farmers to consider
their impact on economic, environmental and social issues. Farming
activities require management of negative environmental impacts to avoid
soil erosion and siltation, which has potential impact on yields. Respect
for and good management of biodiversity have the potential to increase
yields. For instance, good pollination requires a diverse array of insects.
Some farmers have been able to compete and be profitable by embarking on
organic farming, to which they attribute low cost of inputs. In developed
markets, organic products are becoming a favourite because of health
considerations.
Certainly, the future competitiveness of agro and farming activities in
Zimbabwe holds so much for farming communities. Sustainability practices are
certainly becoming the norm in many foreign markets. Therefore, farmers will
need to consider best practice and impact on economic, environmental and
social issues.
Their ability to consider processes such as water and solar harvesting will
be fundamental to reducing impact on climate. While such investments may
have initial capital outlays, there are long-term savings, along with
sustainable profitability. In good farming countries, farmers receive
incentives for investing time and resources in conservation management.
Therefore, future farming activities in Zimbabwe may need to consider
sustainability practices in order to make a strong business case for
agriculture.
Rodney Ndamba is an ACCA member and Vice Chair of the ACCA Zimbabwe
Executive Network Panel. He can be contacted on: [email protected] or
[email protected] Views expressed in this article are those of the writer and
not of ACCA.