The Sunday Mail
So the Government has finally come up with the decision to allow farmers to enter into joint ventures and contract farming with partners of their choice, provided they get approval from the Ministries of Lands and Rural Resettlement and Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development?
On the surface this sounds like a noble idea and understandably, the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union president, Mr Wonder Chabikwa, did not waste time commending the Government for coming up with this decision.
However, there are concerns that this decision by the Government could be used by enemies of the historic land reform programme to reverse this exercise. Justifiable questions are being asked whether this decision is not coming too early and whether it’s already time for Government to trust the struggling farmers? Was this new position ever debated?
In a story on Page 2 in this edition, we quote the Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, confirming that indeed Government has reached the decision and he goes on to explain the exact position taken.
“Sub-letting (is not permitted and) should not be confused with contract farming and joint ventures which capacitate the resettled farmers . . . These (contract and joint ventures) are allowed but require approval of the Ministers of Lands and Rural Resettlement and Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development,’’ said Dr Mombeshora.
We all know that many farmers in the country, especially the newly resettled farmers, are struggling to raise funds to properly run their farms and this has negatively affected the land reform programme. We know that one of the main reasons why the farmers are struggling is the fact that financial institutions are reluctant to extend loans to the farmers citing issues to do with collateral.
As a result of this move by the financial institutions, farmers have had to rely on Government support and over the years the authorities have played their part in ensuring that farmers get inputs with the Presidential Input Support Scheme coming in handy.
While Dr Mombeshora tried to explain that contract farming and joint ventures should not be confused with sub-letting, we fear that with our lax monitoring systems, this decision could boomerang in the short to medium term.
The minister should not forget that the disgruntled white commercial farmers have not given up their fight to steal back the land and these joint ventures could be what they have been waiting for all these years. There are so many loopholes that these white farmers can take advantage of.
For example, the white commercial farmers can enter into joint ventures of convenience with the indigenous farmers and use this trick to move back on the land. Once they move back on the land, they can then start making moves to displace the financially weak indigenous farmers and in no time the land reform exercise will be in reverse. This is but just one obvious trick, but Rhodies being Rhodies they may come up with even more sinister and overt methods.
Dr Mombeshora said farmers should sign Land Use Agreements approved by district and provincial lands officers and only complicated cases should be referred to the national level. He went on to urge lower level lands officers to first investigate cases of alleged farm sub-letting thoroughly to avoid situations where contract and joint ventures were mistaken to be illegal.
Again we applaud the minister for warning the lower level lands officers to do their job thoroughly, but it’s not a secret that these lands officers have been a big letdown since the land reform exercise started. There is too much corruption at the lands offices and we bet that the system will be oiled with dirty money. As it stands, Government has not yet figured out how some provinces like Mashonaland East still have large numbers of white commercial farmers yet hundreds of indigenous Zimbabweans are still crying for land.
Comrade Minister, we won’t apologise for being over-cautious because looking back at how the land reform exercise has been abused, we feel its our duty to raise the red flags. Maybe you need to explain yourself further to give people assurance and confidence.
Happy farming in 2015! What with all the rains across the country!
EDITORIAL COMMENT: Dr Mombeshora, please come again . . .
The Sunday Mail
So the Government has finally come up with the decision to allow farmers to enter into joint ventures and contract farming with partners of their choice, provided they get approval from the Ministries of Lands and Rural Resettlement and Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development?
On the surface this sounds like a noble idea and understandably, the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union president, Mr Wonder Chabikwa, did not waste time commending the Government for coming up with this decision.
However, there are concerns that this decision by the Government could be used by enemies of the historic land reform programme to reverse this exercise. Justifiable questions are being asked whether this decision is not coming too early and whether it’s already time for Government to trust the struggling farmers? Was this new position ever debated?
In a story on Page 2 in this edition, we quote the Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, confirming that indeed Government has reached the decision and he goes on to explain the exact position taken.
“Sub-letting (is not permitted and) should not be confused with contract farming and joint ventures which capacitate the resettled farmers . . . These (contract and joint ventures) are allowed but require approval of the Ministers of Lands and Rural Resettlement and Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development,’’ said Dr Mombeshora.
We all know that many farmers in the country, especially the newly resettled farmers, are struggling to raise funds to properly run their farms and this has negatively affected the land reform programme. We know that one of the main reasons why the farmers are struggling is the fact that financial institutions are reluctant to extend loans to the farmers citing issues to do with collateral.
As a result of this move by the financial institutions, farmers have had to rely on Government support and over the years the authorities have played their part in ensuring that farmers get inputs with the Presidential Input Support Scheme coming in handy.
While Dr Mombeshora tried to explain that contract farming and joint ventures should not be confused with sub-letting, we fear that with our lax monitoring systems, this decision could boomerang in the short to medium term.
The minister should not forget that the disgruntled white commercial farmers have not given up their fight to steal back the land and these joint ventures could be what they have been waiting for all these years. There are so many loopholes that these white farmers can take advantage of.
For example, the white commercial farmers can enter into joint ventures of convenience with the indigenous farmers and use this trick to move back on the land. Once they move back on the land, they can then start making moves to displace the financially weak indigenous farmers and in no time the land reform exercise will be in reverse. This is but just one obvious trick, but Rhodies being Rhodies they may come up with even more sinister and overt methods.
Dr Mombeshora said farmers should sign Land Use Agreements approved by district and provincial lands officers and only complicated cases should be referred to the national level. He went on to urge lower level lands officers to first investigate cases of alleged farm sub-letting thoroughly to avoid situations where contract and joint ventures were mistaken to be illegal.
Again we applaud the minister for warning the lower level lands officers to do their job thoroughly, but it’s not a secret that these lands officers have been a big letdown since the land reform exercise started. There is too much corruption at the lands offices and we bet that the system will be oiled with dirty money. As it stands, Government has not yet figured out how some provinces like Mashonaland East still have large numbers of white commercial farmers yet hundreds of indigenous Zimbabweans are still crying for land.
Comrade Minister, we won’t apologise for being over-cautious because looking back at how the land reform exercise has been abused, we feel its our duty to raise the red flags. Maybe you need to explain yourself further to give people assurance and confidence.
Happy farming in 2015! What with all the rains across the country!
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