Sundaymail Editor
Tendai Chara
FARMERS have been warned against falsifying information on the mandatory production returns that they must submit to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Ministry by February 15.
Under the new policy that was introduced by Government, farmers resettled under the A1 and A2 schemes – beneficiaries of the land reform exercise – must submit mandatory production returns, failure of which will result in the farms being considered for re-allocation to people on the waiting list.
Although Dr Shadreck Makombe, president of the Commercial Farmers Union of Zimbabwe, has faith in the verification process, he said farmers that will falsify information on the return forms risk losing their land.
“Basing on how the verification process is structured, chances of cheats succeeding are very slim. I want to, however, warn those that are entertaining thoughts of providing false information that as farmer organisations, we will not stand by them. They will surely lose their farms,” Dr Makombe said.
He said the decentralisation of the verification process will help eliminate cheating.
“As you might be aware, the process will be conducted from ward level, with the forms then being submitted to Agritex district offices. In my view, the way this process is being done will give correct information and help Government in its planning,” added Dr Makombe.
The new policy was introduced to monitor production on farms and re-allocate abandoned farms and under-utilised land to ensure all farms are productive.
Under the new policy, A2 farmers will be transformed into agricultural entrepreneurs.
Their farms are earmarked to become productive businesses by 2025.
A1 farmers will be transformed through Government production schemes to become viable and formal small-to-medium enterprises by 2025.
The new policy will also help Government carry out the new policy on land where multiple land ownership, abandoned farms, derelict farms and under-utilised farms can be considered for re-allocation.
Farmers who fail to submit information shall be deemed to fall into those categories.
Players in the agricultural sector believe that the submission of productive returns will solve the long-standing challenge of under-utilisation of productive land that has impacted negatively on food security, income and nutrition.
Online Reporter