Our core belief is that only through an optimal agricultural business operating environment can our desire for maximum economic growth, farmer empowerment and sustainable poverty alleviation be achieved. With this in mind the CFU has developed a Zimbabwean Farmers’ Charter which guides the vision and the values of the organisation.
The Zimbabwean Farmers’ Charter
We as Farmers of Zimbabwe declare that:
OUR COMMITMENTS TO OUR COUNTRY
We are committed to our nation and our profession as farmers.
We are committed to ensuring the production of adequate food for our nation; which is of the highest standard and quality.
We are committed to producing adequate quantities of high quality agricultural raw materials for downstream industries and export markets.
We are committed to playing our part in a vibrant and dynamic agricultural industry which is the cornerstone of the national economy.
We are committed to respect the environment in which we operate to ensure that our farming methods are sustainable.
OUR REQUIREMENTS TO FULFILL OUR ROLE
In order to honour our commitments we as farmers of Zimbabwe declare that:
- farmers need security of land tenure so that they can invest in their farms with confidence and also harness the collateral value of land to achieve maximum production for the nation.
- in the event the state must expropriate agricultural land and infrastructure for a public purpose farmers must be fairly, timeously and adequately compensated for the loss of their investment.
- farmers need access to affordable working capital along with affordable capital for new technologies and equipment and for the construction of infrastructure necessary for optimal production.
- farmers need access to the latest appropriate skills and technologies. Farmers themselves, Government, non-governmental organisations and the Private sector should all invest in research and development to sustainably increase agricultural production at lower costs.
- farmers need access to optimal quality inputs and equipment. There must be an enforced regulatory environment which protects both farmers and the environment from inferior and hazardous equipment, chemicals, fertilizers and seed.
- a fair balance between the rights of Agricultural Workers and the economic viability of farmers must always be made.
- a fair and appropriate balance is drawn between the need to ensure sustainable use and management of the environment and the need to ensure maximum agricultural output.
- farmers always need fair value for their produce.
- farmers are protected from monopolies and unfair competition.
- Subsidised imported produce is subjected to a surtax to allow Zimbabwe’s farmers to be competitive.
- farmers need access to all markets for their produce. All barriers to trade must be removed or minimised.
- No farmer should be discriminated against in any way on the basis of his or her race, ethnicity, gender, disability, HIV status, political affiliation or opinion.
- Government in collaboration with the private sector must maintain a robust well developed, well managed and well maintained transport, water storage, irrigation and energy infrastructure. The cost of these utilities must allow for the farmers’ competitiveness.
- Government must adopt a role that facilitates a conducive business environment and reduces direct interference in the Agricultural Industry.
- Government commits to spend 10% of the national budget on developing the Agricultural sector in accordance with a sound and robust policy framework.
- state taxes, service charges and levies must never undermine the viability of farming business.
