Stick to core business, TIMB told

from engaging in activities outside its mandate, House of Assembly legislators have said.

The legislators said this last Thursday while debating a report by the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Water, Lands and Resettlement on the operations of the TIMB following the chaos that characterised tobacco auction floors at the commencement of this year’s marketing season.
“The TIMB should stick to its mandate to provide extension services to farmers and not engage in activities they are involved in at the moment. Government is losing money because the farmers do not have adequate information and knowledge, the TIMB’s core mandate is not to finance farmers but to provide extension services,” Zanu PF representative for Muzarabani South Cde Edward Raradza said.

Kambuzuma representative, Mr Willas Madzimure (MDC-T) said:
“The TIMB should resuscitate the issue of extension services and encourage farmers to form clusters so that they reduce transport costs when they market their product,” he said.

He also condemned the corruption at the floors and the abuse of authority by some senior uniformed officers who jump queues while ordinary farmers suffered.
Hurungwe East representative, Cde Sarah Mahoka, said the TIMB was now fleecing farmers it was supposed to protect.
“The TIMB has abdicated its core mandate and is now fleecing farmers in contract farming programmes. They should be providing information to farmers and decentralise auction floors to ensure that farmers benefit and are not duped by unscrupulous individuals,” she said.

Mazowe Central legislator (MDC-T) Mr Shepherd Mushonga, said the long-term solution lied in empowering farmers by giving them title to land so that they could access financial assistance from banks.
“The problem is that decisions are made for tobacco farmers and farmers in general without their involvement. Farmer organisations are sleeping, farmers should be given title deeds so that farming is funded by banks,” he said.

The report by the committee followed commotion that was prevalent at the auction floors when the selling season started. The farmers complained of long queues and inadequate facilities that exposed them to diseases.