The ManicaPost
Freedom Mutanda Farming Correspondent
Mr Didymus Nyaumwe, a Middle Sabi farmer at Farm 28, is singing praises to the idea of contract farming as he has seen his plot of 40 hectares fully utilized since he went into public-private-partnership with a local seed company in 2016 to date.
He suffered losses in the inflationary years of 2007-2008 and his farming activities did not bring any dividends that impressed him until 2016 when he struck it rich by getting into contract farming with a leading seed company and since then, he has never looked back.
‘’I must admit that it was good when I settled here in 2005 but the hyper-inflationary years put a damper to my spirit. However, in 2016, I had an initial contract with a seed company and went on to utilize 10 hectares. Later on, I had a partnership with the government and put 40 hectares under commercial maize. Although I managed to harvest slightly more than 60 tonnes, the effects of the fall army worm reduced my yields per hectare,’’ said Mr Nyaumwe.
Middle Sabi lies in Region 5 and relies on irrigation as farmers use the Save River. The Osborne Dam water also comes in to help whenever the water levels in the Save River are low. Because of the mantra ‘’Zimbabwe is open for business,’’ from the President of the Second Republic, Mr Nyaumwe went into partnership with Seed-Co in 2017 which resulted in a financial windfall for the farmer who believes in a hands-on approach to the art of farming.
‘’We entered into a contract partnership with a seed company whereby 30 hectares were put aside for sugar been seed farming at the farm. We were able to get between one and one and a half tonnes per hectare. We had groundnuts which covered two ha but rodents had a field day since we were unable to control them. Nevertheless, the one hectare spared for sweet potatoes did extremely well and as we speak, we supply Tongogara Refugee Camp with sweet potatoes,’’ he said.
Contract farming is a hot issue with Middle Sabi farmers. They have been taken for a ride by quite a number of would-be-investors with nothing tangible coming out.
‘’I have reaped benefits from these partnerships with seed companies and I believe I am in the right track. For the 2018/2019 planting season, I intend to put 20 hectares under commercial soya beans as I intend to have 30 hectares under sugar bean seed in conjunction with a seed company starting in March next year,’’ Mr Nyaumwe explained why he was using only 20 ha in the summer cropping season.
The farmer has openly said that farming is a business and he has immensely benefited from his farming activities in recent years. His wife, Mrs Lindiwe Nyaumwe, concurs with his sentiments.
She said: ‘’We have seen a huge change in fortunes since we began the concept of public-private-partnerships. We have been able to build our house in Chipinge while we have paid university fees for our children in time.’’
Mr Nyaumwe appealed to the government to subsidise water and electricity tariffs as they were astronomical and reduced the farmers’ profit margins.
‘’Electricity and water charges are too high for comfort. I think it would be in the interest of the farmer, the government and the consumers if there is a reduction of those charges for farmers to break even,’’ he said.
