adminAs such, it is important that agriculture is always adequately funded so that farmers are able to produce not just enough to feed the nation but surplus for export. With the summer cropping season fast approaching, preparations for a successful season must be nearing completion by now.
The impending agricultural season has seen people from various sectors voicing their opinions on how agriculture should be funded.
According to a story carried by Business Chronicle yesterday, some people are of the view that farmers should stop relying on handouts from the Government and start taking their operations as businesses motivated by the need to invest in their ventures and make profit.
Representatives of farmer organisations on the other hand feel farmers still need assistance from the Government because of the state of the economy.
We have no doubt that those who venture into farming know that it is a business like any other. If a person who owns a farm has any other idea, then they are in the wrong field and should leave.
It is not a secret that some of the richest people in the country are (white) commercial farmers. This is because they take farming as a serious full time profession and not some part time weekend venture.
Following the land reform programme at the turn of the century, the country saw the number of farmers increasing. Unfortunately, some of them have not been very successful in producing for the nation. This failure is not because they are incompetent farmers but is mainly as a result of lack of resources.
The rich commercial farmers we referred to above did not become prosperous overnight. Most were assisted in their operations with loans from commercial banks and they also benefited from government subsidies.
However, agricultural loans at most financial institutions suddenly dried up when blacks took over farms making it difficult for new farmers to produce as much as their white counterparts. This left the Government as the only other source of affordable finance for farmers.
Those advocating for the Government to stop inputs support to farmers should realise that commercial farming by indigenous farmers in the country is still in its infancy. Very few have farming experience of more than 10 years and need all the support they can get as they have not amassed resources to enable them to stand on their own.
While we implore the Government to ensure that it mobilises adequate resources for agriculture, it does not mean that farmers should rest on their laurels and not take initiatives to source their own inputs. Farmers should look for alternative sources of funding other than the Government or the traditional financial institutions, some of which are not keen to support the land reform programme. We are talking of milling companies, tobacco processors, cotton ginners and others whose raw materials are agricultural produce. Farmers should engage these companies while there is still time so that they enter into contract farming agreements.
The danger of waiting for Government inputs is that the inputs might come late and this will adversely affect yields. With changing climatic conditions due to global warming, timing when it comes to times of planting is very critical so it is important for farmers to have inputs ready before the onset of the rains.
Online Reporter