Zimpapers Logo

FARMERS’unions have been urged to play a pivotal role in the revival of the agricultural sector by lobbying Government to introduce polices that promote organised production.

Speaking at a meeting to review Zimbabwe’s preparations for the forthcoming summer cropping season in Harare last week, Seed Co managing director Mr Dennis Zaranyika said organised production would help ensure the country regains its status as the breadbasket of Africa.
He said farmer representatives should collectively push for security of tenure on farms acquired under the land reform programme. He said most beneficiaries of the programme were geared for increased production, but continued to face impediments such as lack of security of tenure.
“It is important for farmer organisations to work together in lobbying for conducive policies that boost production. This is especially necessary considering the number of farmer representative bodies the country has,” he said.

“Concerns around security of tenure should be quickly addressed to enable farmers to invest adequately on their farms.’’
Mr Zaranyika said it was important for unions to speak with one voice as this would instill confidence in their constituency.
He said ready access to seed, fertilisers and chemicals was one of the farmers’ uppermost concerns, adding that more should be done to ensure banks avail loans. He also said while Government continued to co-ordinate all agricultural sectors, supporting mechanisms should also be strengthened.

“Deliberate efforts to revive agro-dealership by all stakeholders will result in improved input distribution to the farming community,’’ he said, adding that Zimbabwe should come up with simplified and accurate weather forecasts to enable farmers to plan properly.

“There is no doubt that everyone appreciates that farmers are the backbone of the economy. Without farmers, the country would experience serious food deficits and inadequate raw materials.
“It is also important to note that creating suitable markets will spur farmers to produce more. All stakeholders must pay competitive prices for the produce from our farmers so that they continue to produce more.”
Mr Zaranyika highlighted the need for unions and other stakeholders to link farmers to viable markets, saying this would help protect producers from “unscrupulous buyers”.
He said stakeholders should also examine the possibility of channelling produce to foreign markets. Already, he said, seed houses are looking forward to a surplus.
He also said a lot of work had been put into breeding adaptable, high yield, disease and drought-tolerant varieties.
The seed industry managed to produce adequate seed maize for the season with around 40 000 tonnes in stock.
Seed Co alone produced 22 000 tonnes.

“This year there is no need for seed imports and it helps the country save a lot of foreign currency which can be used in other priority areas,’’ he said.
He urged farmers to use chemicals which, he said, were essential for the control of weeds, pests and diseases. In previous seasons, most farmers experienced reduced yields after failing to control weeds.
However, the availability of fertilisers and crop chemicals has improved as the season approaches with most outlets having stocks of the products. Mr Zaranyika said inadequate tillage services also continued to hamper early preparations for the summer cropping season. The District Development Fund (DDF) has a crippling shortage of equipment and is charging exorbitant rates for the available equipment.
The institution is charging US$155 per day for tractor hire. The charge does not include fuel. Mr Zaranyika said farmers should also be advised on proper land usage and commended Government’s support for agriculture as evidenced by its provision of inputs and infrastructure support.

“The agriculture sector urges Government to continue supporting farmers to boost their capacity. Agritex also plays a pivotal role in the provision of much-needed agronomic and other extension support services,’’ he said.

“This would help reduce transport and associated purchasing costs to the farmers.”
He also applauded non-governmental organisations for supporting the agriculture sector, saying such noble initiatives deserved recognition.
Farmers were also encouraged to invest in irrigation to mitigate the effects of drought and the impact of climate change.-SM Agriculture Editor