LINK REVOLVING FUND TO A BUSINESS MODEL

I have witnessed the amnesia that grips our government during recurrent droughts in the region. The cure is painfully slow. Take for example the current scenario where the government reacted just a few weeks before the onset of the rains. This comes at the backdrop of countless efforts to arouse their attention to the deathly situation obtaining in Matabeleland South.

“Farmers are losing so many cattle to droughts”, became a theme that could easily top the hit-parade. Undoubtedly, we have made so much noise that has seen rock solid conscience begin to thaw. Speaking at the 2013 National Budget Stakeholder consultative meeting in Bulawayo last week, Finance Minister Tendayi Biti said, “US $10 million has been availed to deal with the livestock situation in Matabeleland.

I have read and reread the drought mitigation implementation strategy the government is adopting and I constantly ask myself whether this will benefit the poor majority or the few resource rich farmers in the communal areas? I am not suggesting handouts, we are way past that stage and even Chief Sikhobokho of Nkayi reiterated that in our last encounter. I hope a well thought out intervention is on the cards.

Those poor farmers who cannot buy stock feed will not be selling their livestock anytime soon because their animals are in poor condition, unless they give away (Balahle izifuyo zabo). In the event that the rains are good enough to plough, poor farmers will not dare because of lack of draught power. The government must come up with a model that will allow poor farmers to access stock feed early, sell their animals in good shape and ensure survival of the entire herd.

Instead of randomly selling stock feed, government could urge communal farmers to form feeding groups (communal feedlots) that can be given stock feed on credit and linked to profitable markets. These markets would collect amounts owing on behalf of government. Abattoirs collected pig levy on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture till recently. Farmers can sell well finished animals and make enough money to buy survival feed for the remaining herd. Currently, farmers are selling mere bones and getting very little to make a decent living.

That brings me to the issue of the revolving fund management. Surely government should give a flexible body to run the fund; I would suggest a private organisation (bank) based locally or at worst the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA). The bureaucracy and rigidity of government cannot run the revolving fund and have a positive impact. 

Mr Shadreck Zhou SNV Local Capacity Builder (LCB) inspects stock feed delivered at Smithblock Feedlot

I would like to urge farmers to form local associations that can make them attractive to work with other organised groups, extension workers and companies. A disorganised group of farmers is a target for middlemen who use the same old predatory tactics of isolating and then pouncing.

I will reiterate what I said last week, “mind your own business” and “each man for himself,” are selfish philosophies that cannot work in a communal setup. Farmers should get together to capitalise on economies of scale.      

Selling stock feed randomly without a capacity building plan will amount to naught. Supplementary feeding is a new phenomenon to our farming communities and the revolving fund must be pregnant with poverty alleviation; capacity building and market linkage plans lest farmers will themselves be revolving in perpetual poverty.   

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