Zimbabwe: 'Contract Farming Policy, Legal Framework Almost Complete'

Source from:  The Herald (Harare) 29 November 2007 11/30/2007

Policy and legal framework meant to regulate and address issues pertaining to contract farming in agriculture is almost complete, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Cde David Chapfika, said yesterday. The framework, which will cover both crop and livestock production, would regulate contractors and the contracted. Speaking at a one-day workshop on the importance of contracting smallholder farmers in Harare, Cde Chapfika said the completion of the framework would help address challenges faced in the 2007 marketing season. "The formalisation of the framework would help in addressing challenges expressed during the 2007 marketing season where disagreements over prices threatened to disrupt the industry," Cde Chapfika said. The framework, he said, would see mutual benefits accruing to both the corporate sector and farmers, resulting in increased agricultural production. He noted with satisfaction the success emerging particularly from contract farming in the production of major export crops like cotton and tobacco. "With tobacco, contract farming, which was introduced in 2004, has become the most preferred way of production, envisaged to account for over 75 percent of the golden leaf in the 2007/8 season," he said. Cde Chapfika hailed the participation of the private sector in supporting small holder agricultural production saying it is critical in improving links between farmers and markets. "Private sector brings expertise that complements public extension services and improves access to inputs by small holder farmers," he said. He, however, challenged the corporate sector to cast its net wider and increase its presence in the production of food crops to complement the Government's efforts in ensuring national and household food security. Cde Chapfika said smallholder farming has become key to the agricultural sector's recovery hence contracting them would boost production. He added that smallholder farmers are generally honest people who need honest partners. Mr Moses Buranda, a contract farmer in Karoi, said they were facing resource limitations to make contract farming a complete success. "We have limited resources for acquiring inputs and access to tillage and other equipment," he said. Mr Buranda urged fellow contract farmers to desist from input diversion saying this has led to low productivity. A farmer from Mutambara Irrigation Scheme in Chimanimani, Dr Morgan Chingwaro, called for transparency between the contractors and the far- mers. "Proper interventions must be designed to improve relations between the two parties. This would help in addressing gaps faced in the mobilisation of resources," Dr Chingwaro said. The smallholder farmers said there was urgent need to address the issue of transport and banking facilities in rural areas. Enditem