SOME farmers have dug into Agriculture, Water and Fisheries minister Anxious Masuka, accusing his ministry of poor workmanship, corruption and lack of urgency to rectify farmers’ concerns.
Last week, President Emerson Mnangagwa, however, named
Masuka as the best performing minister for the year 2023.
Ironically, according to the farmers, his ministry is
facing challenges that have not been solved to prop up the agro-based economy.
According to a dossier from Mashonaland Central province
dated February 23, 2024 seen by NewsDay, several “pending” challenges have not
been addressed since 2000 when land reform kicked off.
The dossier titled Challenges in Agriculture and
Infrastructure Sectors — Urgent Attention Required exposes deep-rooted
corruption in the sector and lack of corrective measures by the parent
ministry.
The dossier was addressed to the Zanu PF political
leadership and government officials.
“We write to bring to your attention a series of critical
challenges faced by farmers and stakeholders in the agricultural and
infrastructure sectors, particularly involving the Grain Marketing Board (GMB),
the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa), Zimbabwe National Water
Authority (Zinwa), Command/PIP/ARDA schemes, banking and finance houses,
private sector funding/contracting and grain control, among others,” reads part
of the dossier.
GMB is accused of letting down farmers through payment
delays.
“Farmers are facing serious payment delays from GMB after
produce delivery. It subsequently forces farmers to lose faith in GMB and
deliver their produce to even more unscrupulous private dealers. This has been
going on for several years. When farmers deliver to GMB depots, offloading is
delayed, leading to farmers incurring extra transport charges from the
transporters who charge extra due to delays.
“The RTGS, component is reducing the price of the produce
due to the variance prevalent in the market. For instance, wheat was paid at
RTGS $6 500, whilst the rate outside was at RTGS $13 000 which leads to massive
loss to the farmer,” said the farmers.
The farmers described the GMB grading system as
“inconsistent” and favouring “Makoronyera (middle men” who get premium grades.
Some wheat farmers are still yet to be paid for their 2023
deliveries.
The disgruntled farmers proposed urgent reforms to
reinstate GMB as the sole trader of grains, ensuring efficient handling,
storage and distribution.
“This would contribute to price stability and support both
farmers and the private sector. Furthermore, payment in US dollars for produce
is crucial for accurate accounting, preventing discrepancies and enabling
effective strategic planning. If RTGS is here to stay, then farmers should be
allowed to withdraw forex against the local currency payments made. Payments
should be done timeously,” reads the document.
It went on to accuse Zinwa, which falls under Masuku’s
ministry, of being a burden to farmers.
“The current fixed charging structure of 7,5ML
(megalitres)/hectare/season for wheat, when practical application is limited to
4,5ML/ha/season, is economically burdensome for farmers. It poses a financial
strain, particularly in wheat seasons. The 4,5ML charge for the summer season
is deemed excessive, especially given that farmers generally apply a maximum of
15ML/ha during the summer season. This overcharging contributes to the overall
economic challenges faced by farmers,” reads the dossier.
There are contractual and operational concerns over water
charges that are disproportionately high, considering the service received, the
farmers noted.
“This puts an additional financial burden on farmers who
are struggling with other operational costs. The contracts with Zinwa lack
balance, holding farmers solely responsible for payment without enforcing
accountability on Zinwa's part. This places an unfair burden on farmers,” said
the farmers.
Zinwa has also been
accused of infrastructure neglect.
“There is dirty water due to illegal mining that poses a
severe threat to irrigation infrastructure. This does not only damage
equipment, but also contaminates water sources, affecting crop health and
yields.
“Zinwa’s neglect of responsibilities, such as clearing
dams, maintaining taps, and managing rivers, raises concerns about the
efficiency and effectiveness of the organization,” the dossier indicates.
“Zinwa must not give licences to riverbed mining and other
mining operations that cause massive environmental degradation and disturbance
of flora and fauna.”
The farmers mourned over government’s inputs programmes
which are open to abuse and looting.
“There is always late input distribution that has a domino
effect on planting schedules, leading to poor yields and impacting the overall
agricultural output. Furthermore, poor vetting of farmers results in inputs
reaching non-productive farmers, who may not use them for intended purposes,
exacerbating inefficiencies in the system,” reads the dossier.
The farmers suggested proper vetting of farmers and that
farmers should receive inputs two months before the onset of the season.
The farmers also challenged zesa to reduce tariffs.
“The increases put an additional financial burden on
farmers, making it harder for them to sustain their operations and contribute
to economic growth.
“Disconnections of productive farmers at critical stages of farming sabotage production, leading to economic losses for both farmers and the nation. Removal of payment terms by farmers is equally unproductive bearing in mind that farmers are producing for the nation and can only be paid after harvest,” the farmers added. Newsday
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