The ManicaPost
Freedom Mutanda Post Correspondent
FOR decades Middle Sabi was a major player in cereal production in Manicaland and the nation at large.
However, over the last years, and due to the economic meltdown and the farmers’ inabilities, production levels could not match those of the former white farmers.
As a result, the new dispensation has blessed private-public-partnerships in a move to enhance productivity and food security. This will certainly result in the area being a major player agriculturally.
The Middle Sabi farmers’ syndicate last week signed an agreement with Agric Alliance Group. During the signing of the memorandum of understanding the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Senator Monica Mutsvangwa implored farmers to take farming as a serious business.
“Farming is a business and the economy cannot move forward when our agriculture is in limbo,” she said.
The Agric Alliance Group will be involved in citrus, tomatoes, potatoes, bananas, maize, seed maize and sugar beans for the export market.
“Zero tillage is the way to go. That is what we are going to do in the coming weeks. We will start with 2 000 hectares and our hope is to reach the 6 000ha peak,” said Mr Van Breda, the director of the company.
A2 farmers will get six percent of the gross profit.
All hopes are pinned on the successful implementation of the partnership as it is what the doctor has prescribed to end the unemployment that is rife in the Middle Sabi.
The Middle Sabi farmers’ chairperson Mr Skumbuzo Thondlana said partnership was the only way to go.
“It’s the panacea to all our challenges. This is really good for Chipangayi and the nation at large,” he said.
Some factors ignorance, lack of capital, inputs, poor agronomic practices and drought among others contributed to the current situation and must never be allowed to continue derailing the gains of the land reform.
“To be honest, there was some form of self-entitlement among farmers in the first years of land reform. Government availed inputs and loans to farmers but some of the farmers sold those inputs resulting in failure to produce the cereals that the nation needed,” said a farmer who refused to be named.
In 2011 most farmers found the going tough as the liquidity crunch deepened and suffocated the little lines of credit available.
Consequently, the fields grew thorn trees and eventually turned into forest and grasslands.
The Chipangayi rural service centre had almost become a ghost town until Rating Investment came along and partnered ARDA Middle Sabi to grow sugar cane. With the envisaged partnership between A2 farmers and Agric Alliance Group, the good times are set to roll for both farmers and the local business community.
The Zanu PF Manicaland chairman Cde Mike Madiro urged farmers and the community against scepticism.
“A cat’s colour is immaterial as long as it catches mice.
‘‘With thorough private-public-partnership, we can never go wrong. We are coming from the Command Agriculture programme and now we are into PPP’s, which is what we require as a nation to enhance food security and employment creation”.
“We expect business to shift into another gear once the public-private –partnership becomes a reality. Creation of employment will obviously mean that the workers have to buy goods from us. That has been our prayer for a long time to have local farmers run the farms hand-in-glove with those with the capital,” said Mr Tendai Dzakatira, a local entrepreneur.
Mutape Semwayo, who stood in for Chief Mutema during the signing of the MOU, said farmers should wear overalls and buy motor cycles as farming was a hands-on business.
“As the Mutape, I urge Mr David Van Breda and company to provide employment for my people. At the same time you can hunt for labour force in Buhera, Bikita and other parts of Chipinge. I don’t expect farmers to wear suits and drive posh cars. Motor cycles are farmers’ modes of transport. My heart hurts when I see thorn trees across the farms. Now is the time for farmers to stand up and be counted,” he said.
Some observer said the collaboration will have a ripple effect on the socio-economic status of the community.
They said schools in the area may be helped by the new investors through various social responsibility programmes.
Mr James Dhube, the head at Chipangayi Secondary School said enrolment figures at the school would soar.
“We hope that more workers would be taken on board. Moreover, when the workers get paid, they will be able to pay school fees. Already, parents are crying for the secondary schools to be upgraded to A level status. We cannot be accorded such status without the requisite Science laboratories, and it’s our hope that the partners will help our schools grow,” he said.
