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Sifelani Tsiko Agric, Environment & Innovations Editor
The Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZCFU) has called for the speedy distribution of farming inputs during the 2019-2020 farming season, saying this is critical to production timing and posting a better crop harvest.
ZCFU president Mr Wonder Chabikwa told The Herald recently that Government should expedite the distribution of inputs to support the majority of farmers who are increasingly finding it difficult to access inputs due to prices that have increased drastically in recent months.
“The 2019-2020 agricultural season is upon us now, and we are calling on the Government to move with speed to support farmers who have already started their preparations,” he said.
“The forecast for the October-December period is normal to above normal rainfall, and timing is critical for farmers. Without adequate inputs support, it may be difficult to time their planting, and this has a huge impact on their crop harvest.”
The Government has earmarked some ZW$2,8 billion for Command Agriculture, aimed at boosting maize and soybeans production in the 2019-2020 farming season.
Command Agriculture was launched in 2016 under a US$500 million facility that sought to support smallholder farmers to ratchet up the country’s agricultural productivity.
By then, the Government intended to produce two million tonnes of maize from 400 000 hectares of land to ensure food security and reduce dependency on imports.
In his 2019 Mid-Term Review, Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube said the programme would be extended by another year, targeting to produce 210 000 hectares of maize and 30 000 hectares of soyabeans during the 2019-2020 summer cropping season. He set aside about ZW$1,67 billion towards support of strategic crops of grain, soyabeans and cotton under the Command Agriculture programme.
“Ordinarily, agricultural programmes outside the Vulnerable Inputs Support Scheme are best supported by private financing given budgetary constraints,” he said.
“However, given last year’s drought, the capacity of our ‘infant’ farmers has been compromised, necessitating further Government support through loan financing arrangements, which include private sector players.
“As a result, Government is extending the programme for another year to restore food security. Accordingly, the supplementary budget is making an additional provision of ZW$1,03 billion to kick-start the programme.”
Farmers across the country are feeling the pinch of rising fuel prices and inputs cost, which have more than doubled in recent months just as they start preparing to till and plant their summer crop.
Last year’s drought and soaring prices have eroded agricultural income already hamstrung by depressed crop prices on the local market.
“From our own assessment, some inputs such as seed are adequate, but most of our farmers are saying availability of some inputs is not a big problem, but affordability,” Chabikwa said.
“Most farmers can’t afford to buy seed, fuel and other agro-inputs because they are expensive. For example, as of today, it costs a farmer about ZW$10 000 to grow a hectare of maize and the same goes for soya beans.
“If the interbank rate continues to go up, then the cost will also go up, making it difficult for farmers to start production on time.
“We are, therefore, appealing to Government to speedily distribute the inputs so that we can produce food for the nation and pay back the loans.”
Without adequate support for farmers by the Government, he said, agricultural output would be low in the 2019-2020 summer cropping season.
“Inputs are now very expensive for farmers and Government schemes must come in strongly to help farmers produce.
“Without Government support, I don’t foresee any meaningful commercial activity taking place this season,” the ZCFU president said.
This year, Government is targeting to support 640 000 hectares of grain crops that include maize, sorghum and pearl millet under the Vulnerable Households Inputs Support Scheme.
“For the 2019-2020 agriculture season, the Supplementary Budget is proposing an additional ZW$437 million for grain inputs (maize, sorghum and pearl millet),”Minister Ncube said.
“Cognisant of the prevailing severe drought and the need to revive the agriculture sector, Government will extend support towards the agriculture sector during the 2019-2020 agriculture season, while nurturing the private sector to play a greater role in subsequent years.
“As a result, the 2019 Mid-Term Review is setting aside ZW$1,67 billion towards support of strategic crops of grain, soyabeans and cotton under the programme.”
Zimbabwe introduced the Command Agriculture scheme in the 2016-2017 farming season as a strategy to boost local food production and guarantee food security for the country.
The latest regional rainfall forecast for the 2019-2020 cropping season shows that Zimbabwe and most other SADC countries are likely to receive normal to above normal rainfall, bringing hope and cheer to farmers still reeling from a drought that ravaged most parts in the previous season.
A regional food security assessment report which was issued in July this year showed that southern Africa has a cereal deficit of more than 5,4 million tonnes this year, after a drought-ravaged the entire sub-continent last season. Food security experts said the region produced about 37,5 million tonnes of cereals, compared to 42,9 million tonnes in the 2017-2018 cropping season.
Zimbabwe has 800 000 tonnes in its reserves against a consumption of 1,8 million tonnes, forcing the country to import grain to fill up the gap.
The impact of the drought that swept across the SADC region last season has been felt across all sectors, including agriculture, food and nutrition security, tourism, energy, health, water and sanitation and education.
Food and nutrition security remains one of the key priority areas for the Government under its goal of making the country to become a middle-income economy by 2030.
The food and nutrition security development priority is in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
Online Reporter