Farming comes alive

Harmony Agere
DURING the bad old days of the so-called inclusive government, agriculture was starved of funding and the nation meandered through countless trials and tribulations which left millions of people at

the mercy of hunger and poverty.
The consequences were devastating for an economy that is supposed to be anchored on a thriving farming sector.

With a poor maize yield of 798 600 metric tonnes in the 2012-2013 season against a total human and livestock demand of about 2,4 million metric tonnes, lack of rainfall coupled with poor funding and failure by the previous finance minister to appreciate the sector’s potential, agriculture has been threatened with total collapse.

Thankfully, agricultural experts say the sector’s days of doom and gloom will soon be over and farmers are poised for productive times. Unlike in the past, this time the funding, the promising rains and a supportive Government seem to have all come in one package to guarantee a bright future for the farming community and the economy.

In its election-winning manifesto, Zanu- PF pledged to turn around agriculture by mobilising at least US$8 billion for the resuscitation of the sector over the next five years.

As promised, the revolutionary party has already started fulfilling its promises and the Government has so far managed to mobilise US$1billion for farming loans to procure inputs this season.
The Government has also earmarked funding for livestock production support.

Unlike in previous years, the financial sector this time came to the aid of the nation by unlocking funds to support agriculture, a development analysts say points to the confidence banks have in the new Government.

CBZ has pledged to lend US$100 million to farmers after acquiring a loan facility from the African Export and Import Bank.

The facility is expected to ease financial constraints on famers who for many years have failed to get funding because of stringent bank conditions.

Unveiling the loan facility, Finance Minister Cde Patrick Chinamasa said that the funds would be extended to at least 1,6 million communal, resettled, small-scale (former purchase areas) and A1 farmers.

“(The) basic input package would comprise (a) 10 kg pocket of maize/small grain seed, 50kg compound D fertiliser, 50kg Ammonium Nitrate fertiliser and 50kg lime to improve the quality of the soil,” he said.

In an interview with The Sunday Mail In-Depth, Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union second vice-president Mr Berean Mukwende said all is now set as pointers indicate a positive farming season.

“The sector is on course to recovery, in fact this season we look certain to have a positive harvest ahead.

“For starters, in Government the agriculture sector is the only ministry with two deputies, a fact that shows that the Government means business and we will see a difference in this year’s yields,” he said.

Mr Mukwende said the funds raised this year surpassed those that have been raised under the old inclusive government, a development which could help the sector find its feet again.

“The Government is willing to work with farmers and assist them because without capital they can’t produce anything.

“They (Government) have also managed to bring the banking sector on board and that is a good development if we consider the bad history between bankers and farmers,” he said.

However, Mr Mukwende lamented the poor implementation approach and a lack of follow-up when it comes to distribution of inputs and funds, saying that usually results in farmers missing their planting deadlines.

“It is good that Government is sourcing funds but the distribution of this money and implements ought to be supervised to ensure that everyone benefits,” he said.

Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Dr Joseph Made said the 2013-2014 assistance being given to farmers was to boost production on farms, but warned farmers from developing the “dependency syndrome”.

He said in the near future, focus will be placed on subsidising manufacturers and providers of farming inputs.

“We have a good season ahead of us, but for a long time we have been saying subsidising the manufacturers is the preferred form of assistance because it assists us not to be involved in the day-to-day allocation of inputs to farmers.

“If we subsidise the manufacturers of inputs to lower the cost of production, the farmers will be able to purchase the inputs on their own. Also, if the farmers are paid timeously, they will at least be able to purchase their own inputs. That is how farming should be,” said Minister Made.

He said the Government had agreed that the real anchor would be on mechanisation and irrigation development to mitigate difficulties in times of drought.

Minister Made said due to last year’s poor yields the Government required about US$60 million to bring in 137 000 tonnes of maize from Zambia. He said Zimbabwe has so far paid US$10 million to Zambia and would procure more grain once funds permit. “We have since written to the Finance Ministry for more funds to enable the movement of grain from Zambia,” said Minister Made.

Although the prospects of a good season are getting brighter in the face of the preparations made so far, some farmers are not sure whether they can count on the rains.

However, the Meteorological Services Department predicts a good rainfall season that will see most crop-producing parts of the country receiving enough rains to guarantee a good harvest.

Meteorological Services Department head of public weather services Mr Tichaona Zinyemba recently told The Sunday Mail In-Depth that the rains that have been falling in some parts of the country in the past few weeks were a positive sign of a bright season.

“It is quite normal to have rain in September, that is the normal situation in any good rainfall season.

“However, it is not the responsibility of the Meteorological Services Department to advise farmers on when to plant as this (responsibility) lies elsewhere. As usual, updates will be provided in the daily weather forecasts, but we anticipate normal to above normal rains’’ he said. Experts say as a result of unpredictable weather patterns the US$98 million farm mechanisation loan facility sourced by the Government from Brazil will result in the revamping of irrigation facilities to compensate production during bad seasons.

Zimbabwe’s irrigation infrastructure had dilapidated over the years due to non-maintenance.
According to research, smallholder farmers are the worst affected by poor rains as they cannot afford irrigation machinery.

As part of the solution to low rainfall, experts say the Government should strategise to ensure farming resources are distributed to areas where the highest benefits can be achieved. Among the regions usually affected by drought are Matabeleland North and South, parts of Masvingo, the Midlands and Manicaland provinces where small grains and livestock production are most ideal.

Mr Mukwende said farmers need to be educated about the advantages of small grains such as sorghum and millet.

“Farmers need to be educated about the advantages of these small grain crops. They are good because they survive under dry conditions so people should be educated about that and also try and create a market for small grains.”

Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector came under serious threat during the inclusive government which saw Zanu-PF share power with the MDC formations which did not prioritise food security.

Tobacco farming holds great promise, contributing significantly to the Gross Domestic Product. It is estimated that the golden leaf raked in about US$700 million in the just-ended marketing season compared to about US$550 realised in the previous selling season.