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WE are excited to note a community of purpose, a meeting of minds between Government and the private sector in noting that reviving agriculture and exploiting the grain value chain is one sure way that can revive our fledgling economy.
Zimbabwe, for a long time, has not had the privilege of acceptance of Government initiatives by the private sector without a dog fight ensuing first.
As we report in our Herald Business section today, the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe and the Grain and Oilseeds Traders Association of Zimbabwe have come up with an ambitious joint venture operation for contract farming.
Under the initiative, the two associations have committed to invest about $200 million for exploiting close to 150 000 hectares of land under contract grain farming during the forthcoming season.
The move is aimed at increasing capacity utilisation of both grain millers and cooking oil manufactures to sustainable economic levels while protecting the local grain value chain from the “marauding cheap imports”.
This came out after a meeting between members and affiliates of the two in Harare on Tuesday where maize, soya beans and wheat contract farming plans for the forthcoming season were some of the topical issues under discussion.
The GMAZ and GOTAZ members committed to finance contract farming of soya beans and maize in all traditional farming districts across the country.
We note with some measure of pride that the initiative by the private sector, being implemented under a project code named Joint Contract Farming Operation 2016/7 Plan for Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe and the Grain and Oilseeds Traders Association of Zimbabwe, arises from a conference between members and affiliates of the organisations.
This project resonates very well with Government’s $500 million Command Agriculture initiative through which Government intends to achieve self-sufficiency in the provision of food for the next three to four years with 400 000 hectares throughout the country dedicated to grain production for a yield of at least two million tonnes of grain per season.
That the private sector has committed itself to advance a concept introduced by Government shows the level of cooperation required for Zimbabwe to overcome not only food security challenges, but many other socio-economic ills facing the country.
Ensuring food security is not solely a responsibility of Government although it takes a huge chunk of responsibility as the economic administrator.
Government should not be a farmer, miner or banker, enabling environment to ensure smooth operations of business.
It should ensure a favourable operating environment for capital to thrive.
Therefore, when Government initiates programmes, it is incumbent upon the private sector to find their place in those programmes.
We are pleased to note that the agro processors and traders have seen business sense in Command Agriculture and embracing it with both hands.
It is our belief that both parties will come to a round table and come up with a consolidated document with clearer and tighter plans for the implementation of the initiative with regards, financing, transportation of inputs and produce, processing and marketing where necessary.
We must think of Command Agriculture in the form of the grain value chain and therefore consideration should be made on value addition and beneficiation.
Command Agriculture is not an exercise in isolation.
Online Reporter