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Victoria Ruzvidzo Business Focus

The rains that fell in some parts of the country including Harare a few days ago may not have signalled the onset of the wet season but they did well to induce a cooling effect while reminding us that the season to sow is almost upon us.The feel good sensation over the rains made many remember they need to start bringing together inputs. Particularly those that do rain-fed cropping. Even my mother, who has not been farming except in her backyard, feels motivated that she is busy looking for a piece of land to grow mealies and other crops this coming season.

The Meteorological Department has already predicted above normal rains hence there is every reason for farmers to start preparations if they hadn’t done so already. The rains will also be early going by the met department’s prediction. They have also cautioned of a possible drought but some of us will choose to believe the former rather than the latter.

Zimbabwe has experienced severe droughts over the past few decades and this has had debilitating effects on food security and the economy at large. Demands for food assistance have also been growing while farmers have had to make do with compromised yields, at best but this looks set to change.

It is critical that we do a reality check as we await the rains. While drought has had an adverse effect on the agricultural sector, there are a number of man-made factors that have affection production and these need to be dealt with if we are to anticipate better performance in the agricultural sector. There is also no harm in us even expecting to become self-sufficient and even export soon as long as we put our act together.

Lack of adequate preparation has often impacted negative on the agricultural sector. From one season to the next there is always inadequate supplies of one form of inputs or the other while farmers, hard done by current economic challenges and liquidity constrained, have also clamoured for free inputs and funds from banks to finance their operations.

While some of the challenges are genuine, requiring assistance to rise up, many Zimbabwean farmers and authorities in the sector have been found napping. In agriculture the quality of the harvest is a combination of such factors as timeous land preparation and planting, adequate fertilisers, chemicals and other inputs but in most instances these have often

These inadequacies have compounded the effects of drought in this country. While everyone is aware of the importance of agriculture in economy not just for food security but as a strategy for poverty eradication, particularly in rural areas, a lot has been left to chance, with disastrous consequences of course.

It is against this background that we commend the launch of command agriculture under which Government targets to produce two million tonnes of maize. At least 2 000 farmers will be given inputs, irrigation and mechanised equipment to facilitate the project.

This sounds quite ambitious but viable. It is achievable. Zimbabwe consumes about 1,2 million tones which means we could export the balance and earn some money in the process. The fact that historically, small scale farmers have produced the bulk of the maize crop makes it even more compelling for the farmers that will be contracted to ensure that they deliver.

We do not anticipate any hiccups if the programme is followed to the letter as enunciated by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

So far $423 million has been raised for the project and suppliers are expected to begin distribution at the end of this month. This initiative is highly commendable and has the potential to transform the agricultural sector.

More funds are expected to roll in from the private sector and other internal and external partners. Efforts must certainly be made to ensure timeous supply of the critical inputs and requisite machinery. We cannot afford any false starts in such a critical programme which is almost literally about life and death.

It is most unfortunate that this country has had to import maize and other foodstuffs when we have the capacity to produce more than enough for ourselves.

The vagaries of drought not withstanding, all effort must be directed towards eliminating those factors that have affected production.

Zimbabwe has the soils and the requisite expertise to the extent that is should not be difficult for this country to return to its status as the region’s breadbasket.

Even where drought has been experienced, the country can still produce adequately if irrigation systems are rehabilitated.

Fears have been raised in many quarters that the command agriculture project should not be hijacked by greediness and corruption that may result in those in authority diverting and misdirecting the inputs and other machinery. We sincerely hope that his will not be the case.

Indeed a number of programmes have failed to yield results owing to greediness and self-centredness that have compromised otherwise noble initiatives with potential to transform the country’s fortunes. The economy is in a delicate position and will need its mainstay, agriculture, to operate at full throttle.

The agriculture sector generates 30 percent of the country’s export earnings and contributes about 13 percent to the Gross Domestic Product. At least 70 percent of the population derives their livelihood from farming.

Furthermore, the manufacturing sector relies on agriculture for 65 percent of their inputs hence it is important that the sector becomes viable again.

Initiatives for other crops should also be rolled out so that the sector improves from all fronts. Tobacco, cotton, horticulture and other crops form a critical part of Zimbabwe’s agricultural matrix. Livestock is also an important sub-sector that needs urgent attention.

We sincerely hope that studies in the sector conducted by the National Economic Consultative Forum and the United States Aid Agency (USAID) will be quite useful as Zimbabwe embarks on the revitalisation of the agricultural sector.

The negative growth anticipated for 2016 should easily be transformed into positive sustainable growth if initiatives to bring the sector back on its feet are implemented with the required zeal and passion.

In God I Trust!

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