Farmers Not Accessing Agricultural Inputs
Gibbs Dube
16.10.2012
The forthcoming agricultural season looks disastrous as some farmers are
failing to access agricultural inputs while the Grain Marketing Board (GMB)
appears to have scaled down its free seed and fertilizer scheme owing to the
massive abuse of the program last year by some politicians and farmers
aligned to Zanu PF.
While the government insists that agricultural inputs will be readily
available this year, observers said communal farmers are set to struggle to
get maize seed, fertilizer and loans as they owe the banking sector over $90
million.
On the other hand, indications are that the GMB is failing to raise over $22
million for rolling out its perennial seed and fertilizer input scheme.
Deputy Agriculture Minister Seiso Moyo told VOA Studio 7 despite these
drawbacks preparations for the forthcoming crop season are in full swing.
“We hope that farmers will access the required inputs though there are some
challenges in some areas,” said Moyo.
Commercial farmer Themba Dlodlo of Mbangazitha Farm in Matabeleland South
Province said poor planning will have a devastating effect on the next crop
season.
Politicians linked to President Robert Mugabe’s party, who abused the
state-sponsored GMB agricultural inputs last season, have not yet been
punished.
Zimbabwe ran out of fertilizer and seed at the onset of the rain season when
the politicians descended on the GMB and grabbed all the inputs for resale.