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This emerged during the Zanu-PF Matabeleland regional training workshop in Bulawayo on Tuesday.
Speaking during the question and answer session the delegates who included Politburo, Central Committee members, war veterans and Members of Parliament, expressed concern over low agricultural production in the farms.
They said despite the successful land reform exercise, the region continued to record reduced yields.
“We have a problem of farmers who migrate from the farms to urban areas. This affects food production and we want to find out how these farmers could be lured back,” said a participant from the floor.
Cde Simbarashe Magwaza Hungwe, a war veteran, said most farmers were leaving their farms because of inadequate support from Government.
“We have been given the land but the people on the farms have no money. They do not have the capacity to access inputs in order to increase production. Can China assist us to set up cooperatives and open new banks that will assist farmers. This would ensure that farmers benefit from the land,” said Cde Hungwe.
The delegates said the challenges facing farmers discouraged them from staying at the farms.
“The reason why most farmers abandon their farms is because of the need to generate income quickly. They think income is easy to generate in towns while some go to towns in search of jobs.
Because of these challenges, many farmers do not want to go back to rural areas,” said another participant.
“May we know how China, with a population of about 1,3 billion, is able to produce enough food for its people when it only has seven percent of arable land?”
Others called for the resuscitation of irrigation schemes in order to boost food production during dry periods and counter the effects of drought.
In his contribution, Chinese Communist Party (CPC)’s deputy director-general of economic bureau and policy research department, Professor Bai Jingfu, said the migration of farmers to urban centres was a challenge for many developing countries.
He said agriculture was the backbone of the economy and urged the Government to incentivise farming through increased budgets for the sector.
“This is a problem facing many developing countries. Governments should enhance robust agricultural practices in order to achieve food security. This could be achieved through relaxing agriculture taxes, provision of adequate infrastructure and increase of subsidies,” said Prof Bai.
“Governments should also increase product producer price so that famers derive benefits from their produce. This will be an incentive for them. Farmers should also adopt modern farming techniques.”
Over the years, farmers have urged the Government to increase budget for farmers and complained over delays in the provision of inputs.
Scores of senior Zanu-PF members drawn from the three provinces of Matabeleland, Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South attended the workshop, which was facilitated by academics from the CPC.
Online Reporter