Zimbabwe: Chikanze Owes His Success to Tobacco Production

Source from:  The Herald 03/05/2010

Harare - MR John Chikanze is a communal tobacco grower in Nyazura's farming district in Manicaland and his home is one of the most adored in the community because of the modern five-roomed house that he has built that can equal some of the residences in some medium density suburbs. Apart from the modern structures, he has also acquired most, if not all, of the conveniences of urban living. He has a colour television set, DVD decoder with a sub woofer, a gas stove, satellite dish and dstv decoders. To power these conveniences, Mr Chikanze has also invested in an inverter, solar panel and of late a diesel-powered generator. Although embracing modern conveniences, Mr Chikanze has also managed to maintain some of the rural traits such as grass thatched huts. He owes most of his success to tobacco production that he has been engaged in for the past four years. "I started out with slightly under a hectare four years ago and now I have extended my production to about three hectares," he said. Mr Chikanze said that although he started producing tobacco four years ago, the real benefits only started coming in last year after the adoption of the multiple currency system. Tobacco farmers started receiving their proceeds in hard currency with most getting US$1 500 cash at the floors with the remainder being deposited in their accounts. "My priority after selling my tobacco is to buy inputs first and foremost and set aside money to take care of debts that would have accrued during the production period. "With the remaining cash I then use it to buy items that provide us with the comforts of urban life although we are rooted in the rural areas," he said. Mr Chiganze said that he has now set his sights on acquiring a water pump in order to have piped water supplying the entire homestead. He is also planning to extend his herd of cattle from six and also start piggery project. He also aspires to buy a tractor soon as well as a small vehicle to get around. For him, however, success has not come on a silver platter as he has had to encounter various challenges as most farmers. "Prior to the adoption of the multiple currency system we had cash shortages and we had to battle to get our money as we literally camped at the auction floors and we also had problems with high transport charges as well as scarce inputs such as fertilizer. "Inputs such as fertilizers could only be accessed on the black market at exorbitant prices but now most of these challenges have been cleared because of the new dispensation," he said. He paid tribute to organisations such as the Farmers' Development Trust through its training centres around the country that helped impart vital knowledge on how to grow, maintain, harvest and cure the tobacco crop. In addition he said he had also received assistance from commercial farmers with farms bordering their communal areas. "Most of the communal farmers in this area use barns at commercial farms to cure their tobacco with the main requirement being that we provide the fuel such as wood to fire up the barns while the curing is done by farm personnel. "We have also had a number of field days that have been held to provide us with know-ledge on the preparation of seed beds, transplanting them, administration of chemicals and identification of diseases and how to manage barns," he said. Mr Chiganze's lifestyle is an epitome of lives that other tobacco producers have assumed as a result of the rich pickings that they have received from the golden leaf. The golden leaf was the best paying crop last year and as a result some farmers who have never grown tobacco in their lives have ventured into tobacco production for the first time this year. While most communal tobacco growers might not have grown to the levels of Mr Chiganze, it is not uncommon to see satellite dishes perched on many rooftops in the tobacco growing areas as well as mountain bikes parked outside most of these homes. Every tobacco-marketing season the grounds or the periphery of the country's auction floors are teeming with traders of various mechandise. The merchandise ranges from clothes, blankets, kitchenware, beds, wardrobes, sofas and electronic gadgets such as TVs, radios, decoders and DVD players, among others. Most farmers after receiving their dues usually flock to buy these and it is not uncommon to see trucks laden with such goods as they ferry farmers back home from the auction floors. Other farmers opt to venture into the city where they can compare prices before making their purchases. While most of the farmers, especially women, are generally responsible with the money they realise from the sale of their tobacco, there has been a number of cases where some farmers have literally gone wild after receiving their proceeds. The shopping centre across the Boka Auction floors that houses the Zimbabwe Tobacco Industry Auction Centre has been known to record brisk business during the marketing season as farmers make merry buying beer and having a nice time with prostitutes. Other farmers have gone to the extent of booking themselves days on end in some of hotels in the capital with girlfriends until they run out of cash. In some instances the marketing season for some farmers is time to marry another wife for those with a polygamous inclination. Such indulgences have resulted in authorities refusing to budge on proposals by some organisations such as the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board that had wanted farmers to be paid out all their proceeds as cash. It was felt that giving them a portion was in the best interest of the farmers as it safeguarded their money as well as assisted in inculcating a savings culture within them. The US$1 500 has since been reviewed upwards to US$2 000 during the current season. Enditem