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Edgar Vhera
Agriculture Specialist Writer
AS the backbone of the country’s agro-based economy, farmers are appealing with Government to urgently capacitate the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) for real time market information conveyance, monitoring, evaluation, validation.
Essentially, strengthening AMA will pave the way for substantial advancements in rural development, particularly in the context of cotton production.
Government has since declared cotton and sunflower as key policy crops to steer rural economic development.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister, Dr Anxious Masuka observed that Government had earmarked cotton and sunflower, as key policy crops that have the power to transform rural communities for agricultural growth leading to rural industrialisation and development for attainment of Vision 2030 objective. He was speaking during World Cotton Day celebrations in Harare.
“The President has selected cotton alongside sunflower as the key policy crops. Cotton and sunflower are smallholder crops that can be engines for transformation of communities. Government is currently a facilitator and actor in the cotton value chain, but when the sector is fully established it ceases the actor role to focus on facilitation,” he said then.
Farmers acknowledge that Government’s intervention in the cotton value chain since 2015 was a masterstroke that saved the industry from collapse but the sector should could be well-grounded if AMA was adequately capacitated to execute its mandate.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) secretary general, Mr Paul Zakariya said AMA’s mandate in regulating production, marketing and processing of agricultural products in Zimbabwe required robust systems and manpower.
Though AMA might have established minimum crop input packages with contractors, regulation, monitoring and evaluation of markets require an institution that is heavily funded.
“AMA’s task is huge considering that they have to be on the ground always on both input and output markets nationwide. They need to be well-resourced to carry their regulatory duties and must be present at every distribution and delivery point.
“This requires AMA to be mobile with large numbers of personnel to reach every corner of the country. Robust infrastructure and communication technology (ICT) resources are paramount for data sharing in real time,” said Mr Zakariya.
Cotton Producers and Marketers Association (CPMA) chairman, Mr Stewart Mubonderi concurred saying AMA must start preparations for the upcoming season now.
“AMA must give deadlines to all cotton contractors to deliver all inputs and/or evidence of purchases to the common inputs distribution points (CIDP). The inputs must remain at the CIDPs to curtail chances of them being presented again at different CIDPs,” the CPMA chair said.
He said AMA must be capacitated to ensure their clerks are available always until all inputs are distributed to farmers.
According to Statutory Instrument 118 of 2022 [CAP. 18:12] Agricultural Marketing Authority (Seed Cotton and Seed Cotton Products) (Amendment) Regulations, contractors must furnish AMA with a database of growers to be supported, proof of inputs purchases to support minimum input packages and signed memoranda of understanding (MOU) with AMA at the time of registration for the season.
The statutory instrument also designates December 31 of each year as the cut-off date for issuance of first tranche of inputs with the second tranche coming on February 28.
It also says a monitoring committee comprising AMA, Agritex and a contractor shall conduct a verification process by end of January each year ahead of crop establishment.
AMA is at the centre of all these activities and its capacitation will stimulate rural development through establishment of well-functioning input and output markets.
Online Reporter