Resolución de problemas

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The Irrigation committee indicated that there were challenges that they were facing securing inputs such as seeds and chemicals are causing unnecessary inconveniences for farmers. Since irrigation farmers make use of hybrid seeds especially for vegetables, they found it difficult to secure the seeds easily. At times farmers had to travel to as far as Harare to get hybrid seeds and even there farmers and the extension officers said that it was difficult to secure seeds. This was attributed to seed companies which they blamed for causing artificial shortages. The claim was that seed houses are exporting seeds to South Africa where they make better profits. These exports were then imported back into the country at inflated prices. Farmers then had to import seeds at exorbitant prices. Farmers indicated that seed hybrids such as cabbage seed number 3301, 3311, 3316 were not readily available on the local market. For tomatoes they find it difficult to get tomato seed 9009 and for butter nut the squash seed was problematic to acquire yet these are seeds they require to ensure a maximum yield. They said that the above mentioned are in demand as they are better adapted to their environment and are not as vulnerable to crop diseases. Farmers indicated that they are guaranteed a good harvest with the above seed varieties yet they aren’t readily available on the; local market. If farmers can get the seed they require it would enable them to cut on chemical costs maximising on profit and ultimately their disposable income.

The other challenge farmers grapple with is that of lack of representation at government level. Whilst other farming groups have representation at government level with formal unions that represent them and push for their interests the rural irrigators have no specific representation. There are basically two farmer Unions in Zimbabwe that are all based on racial composition of members with one representing the white farmers by and large and the other one representing black farmers. The Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU). CFU amongst others:

 provides legal advice to its members on issues ranging from acquisition of equipment and materials , stock theft ,Labour, environmental matters of civil and criminal nature,

 Lobby and advocacy around certain policies and regulations which undermine

the viability of agricultural production and competitiveness of the agricultural production and competitiveness of the agricultural sector (e.g. ZINWA i.e.

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inappropriate and expensive environmental licenses and many other similar challenges to viability.

 Advocacy to ZESA and lobby for improved power supply and more affordable

power supply to farmers.

 Provide assistance in writing projects proposals.

 Reports to policy makers and policy recommendations (e.g. representations

at Parliamentary Portfolio hearings).

 Providing HIV and AIDS, Gender training programmes that are geared to improve knowledge and skills awareness campaigns and reinforce prevention and education through effective awareness campaigns and outreach programmes and farms.

 Providing extension services , research , production handbooks , liaison with

producers , field days , discussion groups advice and crop and livestock problems , advice on product marketing , representation at industry meetings , and representation at industry meetings and representing local , regional and international forums.

 Provide wide ranging discounts (over 370 registered companies) through Discount Club to anybody who subscribes to the Club.

 Providing Preferential Trading Partnerships which aim is to boost commercially produced crop and livestock output by putting into operation a multifaceted financing input procurement , and marketing scheme designed to benefit all preferential trading partners involved in the farming members , participants from the banking and insurance sectors, input supplies and crop livestock markets ZFU, (2012)

The Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union is a registered farmers’ Union. It was started on the initiative of large scale indigenous commercial farmers who entered the business of commercial farming after independence. The Union operated as an association from 1990 until it was registered as an indigenous Commercial Farmers union in 1996. The union has since changed its name to Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union (ZFCU) and its mandate is to serve commercial farmers irrespective of farm size ZFU, (2012).

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It is however, important to note is that rural irrigators are not represented by any of the commercial farmers unions that have been discussed whose role in shaping farming activities is undoubtedly needed by these famers to increase their operational efficiency. If irrigators can get as many benefits and access to research knowledge and cheaper inputs such as those being enjoyed by commercial farmers they will be able to engage in better agricultural activities.

The research found that irrigators were not benefiting from government programmes aimed at assisting farmers hence need for proper representation. For example the extension officer for Insukamini Irrigation Scheme was not benefiting from the government’s Agro Dealer Scheme. The scheme was aimed at providing agro inputs in local shops countrywide. Agro dealers were to access cheap loans from Agribank to supply local shops in their local areas. This benefit did not trickle down to Insukamini Irrigators due to corruption where banks were diverting the funds to general dealers for their benefit according to reports.