Arduous journey of self-discovery

‘Thanks to Command Agriculture scheme’

Garikai Mazara —
When Robbie Chagumuka died in 2006 at the age of 44 (quite unfortunate that most musicians seem to die at this age and at their prime), his son, Benedict, in what has become traditional in musical circles, tried to follow in his father’s footsteps — to carry on with his father’s legacy.

After one or two releases, which went largely unnoticed, the younger Chagumuka was at sea. As much as he might have wanted to extend his father’s legacy, truth is even in his last days, the elder Chagumuka was not commanding any meaningful audience, especially at live shows, so the task at hand for the son was unenviable .

“Then one day,” said Benedict last week at his farm in Mvurwi, “I sat down and thought long and hard. Was I doing the right thing, wasn’t I just forcing myself, that because my father was a musician so I should be one? What else could I do with my life?”

It was a long and arduous journey of self-discovery, of trying to find where exactly his heart lay, but today, a decade after the demise of his father, Benedict says he doesn’t rue for a moment his decision to take up farming.

“My father was a businessman, he had many interests. He ran a sand blasting company, was a musician and acquired this farm during the land reform process. I didn’t have any idea how sand blasting was done and I had tried my hand at music but had met with little success. It was during one of the recesses here at the farm, we usually came here to cool off and think hard and long, that I realised that I was sitting on a gold mine.”

With 102 hectares in extent, of which 80 hectares are arable and sitting next to Gulliver Dam, one of the largest dams in Mashonaland Central after Bindura’s Arcadia and Mazowe dams, Benedict said it was not long before he started the slow and painful transition from the musical stage to the farm.

“Over the past years I have tried everything from maize, wheat, soyabeans, tomatoes to potatoes. The challenges that face today’s farmer are varied but are mainly to do with unpredictable seasons, unstable markets, at times unreliable power supplies, factors which make farming difficult. But this year, I can safely say, barring any last-minute natural disasters, I seem to have finally hit the right chords.”

This is thanks, in large part, to the recently introduced Command Agriculture scheme. Chagumuka has managed to put all the arable 80 hectares on his farm under maize. He went on to lease another 20 hectares from a neighbouring farm. His maize crop is at different stages, with the earliest sown two hectares now being harvested as green mealies.

To safeguard himself against calamities that might befall over-reliance on one crop, he has also done five hectares of tobacco, of which the three hectares which were irrigated are now at the reaping stage. Five hectares have been put under sugar beans.

“Last year I had 10 hectares of maize which I funded myself but this year, thanks to Command Agriculture, I have increased my hectarage to almost 100 hectares, which is about 10 times what I had last time. I am expecting a yield of at least nine tonnes per hectare. Fifty hectares of my crop is the 7-series variety, whilst 30 hectares is the 6-series.”

Under Command Agriculture, of which farmers have signed an initial three-year contract, they are expected to deliver five tonnes per every hectare to the Grain Marketing Board. Of the five tonnes, they will be paid for two-and-half tonnes with the balance paying for the inputs they would have received for the season. Any surplus above five tonnes will be disposed of at the farmer’s discretion.

Added an elated Chagumuka: “I am sure after the three years that we signed, farmers should be able to stand on their own. If I managed to jump from 10 to 100 hectares, I am sure next year I should be able to double my hectarage, I am aiming for 200 hectares.”

The other challenge, he readily admits, has been that his farm is not fully mechanised.

“We are having to make-do with this tractor that was left by my father. Otherwise my appeal to the Government is that as they prepare for the next phase of Command Agriculture, they must consider helping us mechanise, especially if they put into consideration yields and grain deliveries to the Grain Marketing Board from the various farmers. If they are to help farmers mechanise, such a programme should be based on who is producing what. That way we reward the hard-working farmers.”

With a projected excess of four tonnes per hectare, what is his growth trajectory wish?

“I want to acquire a pivot irrigation system. It is the way to go with today’s farming. It means less labour in moving and laying pipes, it means water is evenly spread on the field, it means much more. So that is my dream, come harvest time. I want to invite you to come and see my newly acquired pivot this year. This will also enable me to move into winter wheat, another area that needs our collective effort as farmers so that Zimbabwe regains its bread basket status.”

Morestaff Chapita, the agricultural extension worker who has been helping Chagumuka to manage his crop, says the outbreak of a number of worms, particularly the army worm and a new type of worm — the chilo worm — has been one of the challenges in the current season.

“We were prepared for the army worm, given that there has been precautions which were issued but this new strain of worm caught us off-guard. We are not sure of its origins, some are saying it is coming from Zambia, whilst others are saying it is coming from Mozambique. Farmers are urged to control the worm whilst the crop is still below or about knee level. Once the crop grows beyond that stage, it will be difficult to spray any chemicals.”

At 31 years old, Benedict says farming is — and should be — the new order in Zimbabwe.

“Many of my generation shun agriculture but I tell you there is a lot of money to be found in the soil. If I had forced myself into music, I could be struggling, like many of the musicians are doing, but I am happy that I have found a new lease of life in farming. This is a success story that I would like to share with the world.

“But like all success stories, this one didn’t come on a silver platter, one needs to work hard. Just because one has the land and the water is not enough, there are a lot of sacrifices that need to be made, a lot of planning, a lot of long stressing hours. It is not just plain sailing. I am where I am today because of hard work and I haven’t even stopped working because I haven’t reached where I want to be.

“In the next five years, working with the same rate and attitude, I hope to achieve a lot as a farmer.”