Transcript REALIGNING INPUT MARKETS TO FARMER NEEDS

The case of Zimbabwe
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Massive production of all agricultural
commodities to ensure national food security
and household food self sufficiency
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Contributes between 16 and 20% of GDP
Over 40% of national exports
60% of raw materials to agro industries
Provides livelihoods to over 70% of the
population
Employment for some 1/3 of formal labour
force
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Food crops – maize, wheat, small grains
Cash crops – tobacco, cotton, coffee, tea,
sugarcane
Livestock – cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, poultry
Horticulture – fruits, vegetables , flowers
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Fertilizer shortage > low capacity utilisation due
to lack of foreign currency
Limited hybrid seed availability > poor supplies
of fertilizer, erratic fuel and electricity
Untimely and inapropriate supply of inputs
Recurrent droughts and floods
Limited financial resources to smallholder
farmers
Limited investment in agriculture> irrigation,
infrastructure, market dvpt
Limited research and extension > funding
constraints ( cell phone farmers)
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Contract farming – cotton, maize, tobacco, barley
Linking commodity and input marketing – GMB ,
farmers deliver maize and get inputs in return ( or
cash)
Seed fairs – done by AGRITEX, NGOs and seed houses
across the country
Warehouse receipts (WR) – improving input credit and
adding flexibility in farmer selling decisions. Will
weed out ineffective farmers. WR development at an
advanced level
Vulnerable farmers – targeted 1million households
including 600 000households under FAO. Level of
support – 1/3 to 1/2ha. Package includes seeds and
fertilizers
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Livestock production – rehabilitation of dip
tanks, vaccinations, supplementary feeding
etc
Irrigation development and drought
mitigation – potential 600 000ha but less
than 200 000ha developed and functional.
Vast water bodies available including
underground water.
Farm mechanization – acquisition of tractors,
combine harvesters and implements to
improve productivity
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strengthening of commodity associations,
cooperatives and farmer’s unions
Strengthening research and extension
services
Promoting investment in agriculture – free
market, multicurrency environment but still
require irrigation development, input and
output market development, infrastructure,
among others.