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Herald Reporter

Farmers have bemoaned the negative impact of illegal sanctions saying the agriculture industry continues to face a wide range of difficulties that has impacted on production and marketing infrastructure. 

Prior to the implementation of sanctions, the agricultural industry employed and provided income to more than 60 percent of the population and served as the foundation of Zimbabwe’s economy, was expanding at a rapid rate.

The president of the Zimbabwe Farmers Commercial Union (ZFCU) Dr Shadreck Makombe, said sanctions have completely destroyed hopes for farmers as the majority are now doing it in order to survive. 

“It would be an understatement to say that sanctions have affected us as farmers, but we have been destroyed by them, and when we talk about farming as a business, they have been forced out of it, while others have been reduced to paupers because they are only farming for sustenance, or in order to survive,” he said. 

Dr Makombe also bemoaned lack of adequate funding from banks that are connected to international banks.

“When you go to some of the banks that are connected to international banks, you cannot easily access the loans,” he said. 

The Agricultural Finance Company (AFC) Holdings, formerly Agribank was until recently under illegal sanctions and could not finance the agriculture sector properly due to lack of lines of credit.

“Most of our produce would be overpriced in terms of comparative with other SADC region countries because the cost of running a farming business is very high due to sanctions. 

“With the intended opening of borders it would be a huge blow to us because our produce will not be competitive,” Dr Makombe added. 

The Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) said although sanctions are said to be targeting certain individuals they are actually causing collateral damage to all sectors in Zimbabwe. 

“This is making our resources more expensive and there are certain markets we cannot literally access, but we do have to go through a third part. 

“If you are going through a middle man, the cost tend to be high and as a result the agriculture sector is failing to contribute immensely to growth of the economy,” Mr Zakariya said. 

Another farmer, Mr Ben Chivandire also echoed the same sentiments saying sanctions will always cripple the economy. 

“Agriculture like any other business venture cannot be spared by the adverse effects of economic sanctions. 

“This sector is being affected from two fronts namely the supply side and demand of the product, a disturbance in the availability of inputs will jeopardise farming operations.

“International markets are an envy for any business mainly for it’s lucrative profit margin, unfortunately Zimbabwe’s agricultural export market have been rendered impossible by creating red tape in some areas or actual bans,” Mr Chivandire said. 

Mr Chivandire also said that agricultural inputs are either delayed or their costs altered upwards and as a result it puts farming as a business into disarray

The President and founder of Zimbabwe anti- sanctions Trust (ZAST) said as a result of sanctions relevant authorities are failing to control livestock diseases due to scarcity of vaccines. 

“The short supply of vaccines and other drugs indicate how sanctions affected animal health in Zimbabwe. 

“This resulted in failure by the relevant department to control diseases like foot and mouth and this in turn affects the country’s beef export,” Dr Hosho said.

These illegal punitive measures are affecting the livelihood of households owing to lower Agricultural yields and this is derailing Zimbabwe’s quest to attain the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) against poverty and hunger.

The imposition of sanctions have been a major set back , the number of functional tractors declined from 14 000 before sanctions to 6 000 against a national required of 40 000 units. 

The combined capacity declined from 300 Units to 130 functional units to 130 functional units against a national requirement of 400 units.