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The Herald, 14 March, 1980

AFRICAN farmers are to ask Mr Mugabe’s incoming Government to grant them 1 000 commercial farms from the land at present lying idle on which they can settle on one-man, one-farm basis by next summer, says the president of the Zimbabwe National Farmers Union, Mr Gary Magadzire.

Mr Magadzire, who is chief spokesperson for the black agricultural community, said in an interview it was not the intention of the members of his Union to ask for land presently being utilised by whites.

But there were 4,5 million hectares either unoccupied or not being fully utilised, from which the proposed 1 000 properties could be drawn.

He came out strongly against absentee landlords and said: “We intend recommending to the incoming Government in no uncertain terms that absentee landlords give up their land to the needy. It must be realised that land is only of value if it is productive, not only to the owner, but to the nation as a whole.”

Mr Magadzire said Mr Mugabe’s victory at the polls had raised the expectations of all African farmers.

He congratulated the new Prime Minister, and his party, on winning and said: “We have been filled with great joy and satisfaction at this victory which in reality is a victory of the rural farming community . . . and the nationalist parties . . . my Union will support the new Government to the hilt . . . we look forward to the future with great confidence believing we are going to see strides of development and prosperity in rural areas.”

He continued: “We have been to see Mr Mugabe many times. We know what is at the back of his mind.

“He acknowledges the present agricultural systems we have in this country, and he is in full agreement with us that the present structures should not be tampered with, as this will affect food production and the labour market.

“However, he is fully aware of the hopes of the African farmer and will create opportunities equal in every way to those enjoyed in formerly white farming areas.”

LESSONS FOR TODAY

Land ownership by the black majority was the major reason for fighting the liberation struggle. While others fought settlers with guns, the likes of national hero Gary Magadzire ensured that black farmers in the country during the struggle utilised the land fully for food production and the labour market.

That they organised themselves and formed the Zimbabwe National Farmers Union shows that they were not only serious about land ownership, but they also had the desire to see black farmers, especially rural ones, taking farming as a business.

Their desire for the 1 000 farms was fulfilled by the land reform programme and land is now owned by the people. But the major issue they fought then of absentee landlords persists. Many resettled farmers are as good as absentee landlords since there is no productivity at their farms. Some have been code-named “cell phone farmers”, while others lease out land without the approval of the State.

The land allocation has also created a new problem that has seen some individuals owning more than one farm. Although Government has assisted with inputs, there is no return on investment, as the inputs are sold on the black market.

Gary Magadzire’s legacy lives on. Apart from being interred at the National Heroes Acre, the Great Zimbabwe University established a School of Agriculture and Natural Sciences in his honour — a gesture that shows how important agriculture is to the economic development of Zimbabwe.

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