adminFarming Matters with Samuel Kadungure
THE amount and focus of Government and donor funding should be increased to support smallholder farmers – most of whom are marginalised by banks and receive low returns for their produce – as the route to strengthen their livelihoods and shrink rural poverty.Agriculture experts concurred this week following Government’s decision to distribute the first batch of irrigation and mechanisation equipment under the US$98 million facility extended Brazil under the More Food for Africa Programme, that after the land reform, Zimbabwe’s farming community was largely characterised by smallholders, who are vital cogs for food security.
However, a large number of them are not economically viable as they are shunned by banks due to lack of collateral security and, in most cases remain the most vulnerable section of the population. Zimbabwe Farmers Union president, Mr Abudul Nyathi on Tuesday, said with proper assistance, smallholders can achieve higher levels of productivity and income through sustainable intensification of production, better organisation, adequate services and integration into agri-food value chains.
“This is the right path. Setting smallholder farming right is key to enhancing food security and reducing rural poverty.
“For a long time, smallholders have been marginalised and at the same time receive low returns for their produce. Many of these smallholders live in poverty. They lack of access to inputs, loans, mechanisation, irrigation, power and voice,” said Mr Nyathi.
Tobacco Association of Zimbabwe president, Mr David Matambura Mutasa, echoed the same sentiments, saying most smallholders need small loans to inject into their operations to acquire inputs or technologies, but such funding was rarely available or affordable.
Mr Mutasa said Zimbabwe needs to adopt a paradigm shift and prioritise sustainable agriculture and climate resilience among small-scale farmers – as it offers better prospects of improving productivity while simultaneously help them adapt to climate change.
“They were leapfrogged by the 2008 phase and Government has realised its mistake by disbursing the first batch of irrigation and mechanisation equipment under the US$98 million facility from Brazil to smallholder farmers.
“You cannot continue investing in the operations of commercial farmers at the expense of the smallholder farmers because big farmers have access to bank loans while small-scale farmers, who often lack collateral security, are turned away from bans,” said Mr Mutasa. The Manica Post understands that the state-of-the art equipment, which is certainly set to transform the local agricultural sector and boost productivity, is set to be handed over to A1, communal, irrigation schemes and small-scale farmers.
“It is not everyone who is going to benefit under the programme, and to increase numbers, beneficiaries will form their own groups. They will pay for the equipment in 15 years with an interest of two percent per annum,” said Mr Nyathi.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister, Dr Joseph Made, challenged those set to benefit under the project to work towards fulfilling the vision of the country’s leadership in creating a vibrant agriculture value chain.
Under the programme, a total of eight irrigation schemes in each province will benefit from the arrangement, while key departments such as Agritex, Department of Mechanisation and Agribank will be involved in the roll out. Dr Made last week told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Peace and Security last week that Government was negotiating for lines of credit from Brazil, India and South Korea to buy equipment.
“The Brazil equipment is here. What arrived is $38 million worth of equipment and the remaining will be sent in two tranches of $30 million,” he said, adding that the equipment would be sold to communal and A1 farmers.
Dr Made said the Indian and South Korean facilities worth $60 million and $100 million respectively would target A2 farmers.
“From the India Exim Bank facility, $20 million will go towards mechanisation and $40 million will be devoted to irrigation. The South Korean facility is for mechanisation and will be disbursed in tranches of $10 million,” he said. Zimbabwe is also getting support from the European Union worth 6 million Euro, targeting 20 irrigation schemes in Manicaland and Matabeleland South provinces while the Swiss Development Cooperation had advanced 6,3 million Euro to rehabilitate eight irrigation schemes in Masvingo province. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), together with the ministry would set up a $48 million facility for advisory services and to assist rural communities fight poverty, he said.
Government has so far paid $59 million to farmers who were owed for the 220,000 tonnes of grain delivered during the 2013 /14 season, leaving a balance of $29 million.
Online Reporter