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Gibson Nyikadzino-Herald Correspondent
Ancient wisdom teaches that men usually considered great are not always wise, neither do the aged understand what is right. This aptly fits one Zimbabwean who has over the years been considered ‘great’ until his advanced age played a Gestapo on him.
At the turn of the millennium, the ‘great’ musician Thomas Mapfumo was a leading pessimist and one of the most negative minded man over the country’s successful land reclamation and redistribution exercise.
Fully aware that the land question was the main reason the war of liberation was fought, the lyrical strength of his songs as “Vana Kuhondo” and “Pfumvu Paruzevha” lost meaning when he released “Marima Nzara” in 2002.
In “Marima Nzara”, Mapfumo disparaged the cause of the land reform and the exercise itself. Above all, he tried hard to dampen the hopes of the millennial generation whose future is now anchored on the maximum utilisation of land to boost Zimbabwe’s productive capacity.
His insinuations that the country, through the land reform, had invited the curse of poverty and hunger was his way of seeking white validation as he now misses home, wishing he could take back his words while domiciled in the belly of neo-imperialists.
Because of shame, Mapfumo pretends he does not see the remarkable progress the youths have amassed and the signs of victory which cannot be substituted by his deceptive position.
Young men and women in their 20s and 30s, born a decade before the land reform, are rewriting the country’s socio-economic trajectory by becoming industrious and entrepreneurial, a sign of their economic freedom in land.
The way they are writing their course of history is shockingly upsetting pessimists like Mapfumo who want to continue wearing bold faces while hurting from the inside.
Agriculture matters to the future of development of Zimbabwe and it is estimated to be up to four times more effective than other sectors in reducing poverty.
Despite negative perceptions that have been made around farming, both urban and rural youth are improving their livelihoods and contributing positively to the country’s foreign currency earnings.
Land has always provided the life-blood of Zimbabwean politics. With European occupation in 1890, land was the first commodity parcelled out to the incoming settlers.
Rising from the ashes
In the developed world, the number of farmers is declining while African economies have undergone tremendous change over the last 20 years. Zimbabwe, for at least between 2002 and 2016, struggled because of many reasons among them the flight of skilled labour and capital from the economy, coupled with economic sanctions.
Farmers who committed to agriculture in Zimbabwe from 2001 were starting from the tail and scorched era. Skills, farming technology, access to capital and markets had all fled the broader economy.
Black farmers, unlike farmers of white colonial descent, were starting from a disadvantaged point of departure. Whites, from 1890 to 1930, received all needed government support.
The first 40 years of settler agriculture failure saw the Rhodesia Herald characterising the calibre of farmers of this period as “muddling, lacking in individual knowledge, squatter farmers with low standards of living and surprising ignorance.”
For first-time farmers in Zimbabwe, since 2001 every year has been one of productivity and production. Under difficult circumstances where the government could not quickly manoeuvre, access capital and markets which were previously skewed in favour of whites, the people supported government decision with none, but only commitment to learn along the way.
These painful reminders prompted the youth to venture into agriculture at the growing trend of the broadening of innovation, agriculture technology, intensification and commercialisation.
A solution oriented, tech-savvy generation
The New Dispensation has presented an unheralded appetite and desire for the youth to make use of every adventure of innovation and Information Communication Technology (ICT) use to improve agriculture. A growing number of tech-savvy young Zimbabweans are now taking an interest in developing products to modernise farming, from solar-powered devices, applications that measure crop germination, adoption of sustainable agricultural practices and use of drones to spray crops.
What distinguishes this new generation of youth in agriculture is their use of technology, commitment to agricultural solutions and employment creation. Technological innovations have since become key to creating job opportunities.
The combination of agricultural value chains, technology and entrepreneurship has unlocked more opportunities for growing markets in the horticulture and commercial agriculture sectors.
Why ED says “make money”
It appears many are unaware that the youth constitute the bulk of participants in the country’s plan to boost the national cattle herd under the Livestock Growth Plan. The plan seeks to grow the sector to US$1,9 billion by 2025.
This key sector is also supported by the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy as Zimbabwe marches towards Vision 2030 to become an upper middle-class economy.
Youth have come up with innovative breeding technologies, including artificial insemination, to use on new breeds of beef bulls and heifers. Alternatively, the Cold Storage Company (CSC) has a strategic revival project entered into with investors from Rwanda, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to increase export beef markets.
Similarly, the Command Agriculture and Pfumvudza/Intwasa programmes simultaneously correspond to boost agriculture food security at national and household levels. It is always key to highlight that the youth have always maintained their presence in all agricultural activities from aquaculture, apiculture, goat rearing and small grain crops.
Tobacco and cotton farming have also become lucrative under the Second Republic because of more subsidies. In 2021, cotton deliveries jumped to 116,052 from 82,479 tonnes in 2020.
Exponential agricultural growth in Zimbabwe and financial rewards coming from this industry is among the major reasons why President Mnangagwa urges the youth to “make money”.
When youth venture into agriculture, they have enormous potential to feed the nation, eliminate hunger and also contribute to the global food market.
The natural and human resources available through young men and women are enough to shame ‘great’ man who lack wisdom in acknowledging that “the land is the economy”.
Rural prosperity gospel
More recently, rural migration has been taking place in the unique situation of a major rural and urban demographic increase.
A few years ago it sounded a historical mistake for the youth to develop rural areas because city life was regarded the centre of development and all things fabulous.
As times progressed, the youth who had migrated to the urban areas are making the great-trek to their rural areas, retracing their footsteps. The goal is that while they yearn for a good urban life, they also need to invest in a similar quality of life at their rural areas.
Land in Africa, Zimbabwe included, is not just an area to farm, it is a place to be born and to be buried. It is also a place for future generations.
Aging without wisdom
They say with aging comes wisdom, but at times aging comes alone. The youth of today who are understanding being independent from the point of appreciating the land reform have emerged wiser than some considered ‘great’ men.
It is inconceivable for a Zimbabwean of ‘status’ to discourage the youth from pursuing their dreams in the agriculture sector, where there is a key livelihood opportunity. At times when common sense leaves, it does not say goodbye.
People whose inclinations are bent on suffocating and frustrating Zimbabwe’s efforts are explained in a piece of song where the late Simon Chimbetu said “vanomirira kushora vachibvongodza muto” (they only show up to spoil the broth).
Be cautious with people you call ‘great’, they are not always wise.
Online Reporter