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Fungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau

Provincial war veteran’s chairperson, Cde Sam Parirenyatwa, has lost about four hectares of wheat to fire at his Danbury Farm along old Mazowe Road.

He said the fire started at around 3pm yesterday under unclear circumstances, and is suspecting foul play.

In an interview, Cde Parirenyatwa said he was not sure of the value lost and officials from Agritex were carrying out investigations.

“I had put 12 hectares under winter wheat and standard fire guards were constructed around the field. My workers noticed the fire in the wheat field at around 3pm. To my surprise, there was no veld fire in the neighbourhood prompting me to suggest that the fire was intentionally started by someone,” he said.

“Farm workers managed to use boreholes to extinguish the fire. Unfortunately, about four hectares had already been destroyed. I am suspecting arson due to a tense political atmosphere in the Mbuya Nehanda district where some party heavyweights were stopped from manipulating the branch and district elections currently in progress.”

The crop was not insured.

Said Cde Parirenyatwa: “There is a need for farmers to have crop insurance. However, the instability within the financial and insurance industries needs attention for farmers to take advantage of the insurance industry.” 

Insurance and Pensions Commission public relations manager, Mr Lloyd Gumbo said the event was a sad development.

“This is an insurable risk. In the event that the crop was insured and the loss a covered peril, then insurance will help the farmer recover because if there was no insurance, then it means the farmer is exposed,” said Mr Gumbo.

“We take this opportunity to encourage farmers to take up insurance because there are risks associated with agriculture, which need to be managed through measures such as insurance.”