Zimbabwe army confiscates un-used agro-inputs from farmers

Zimbabwe's soldiers have started seizing farming inputs from communal farmers who failed to fully utilize assistance they accessed under the government-sponsored Maguta project in 2006. Accompanied by officials from the Department of Agricultural Research and Extension Services (AREX), they recently confiscated herbicides, fertilizer, seeds and chemicals from villagers who failed to grow crops.

The visit by the soldiers caused pandemonium in Masomere village in Mashonaland East province recently, as the villagers feared their animal-drawn carts, wheelbarrows and ox-drawn ploughs would be confiscated. The villagers, struggling to make ends meet, sold the fertilizer, seed and implements to raise school fees and buy food and other basic necessities because of the hardships the country is undergoing.

"Most of us received chemicals, seed and fertilizer," said a villager who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation. "I sold them to businesspeople in Marondera town to raise school fees for my two children. Now I fear that they will take away my cart." He received 50 litres of a herbicide called MCPA, 50 kg of maize seed and 10 bags of fertilizer.

Some villagers had fled their homes to capital city Harare when the soldiers visited the area, only returning days later. One villager said, "The soldiers promised to come back for those who failed to account for what they were given. Some of us will have to buy the fertilizer to return what we got."

An AREX official who requested anonymity confirmed the visit by the soldiers. "AREX first identified the people in the area who benefited from the project," he said. "After that the Maguta team came and took away chemicals and seeds that the villagers had not used. They wanted to distribute them to other areas that are in short supply." The official said those with crops that wilted in the fields because of poor rains were spared, "as long as they provided evidence that they used the seeds and fertilizer".

Describing the seizures as "rather sensitive", the official blamed the government for the poor selection of the beneficiaries saying some people without any capacity to grow crops were given large quantities of seed, fertilizer and herbicides. The farmers signed contracts that say the government reserved the exclusive right to recoup the actual cost of the inputs and running cost
in the form of produce or in cash and that it will determine the price. The project is supervised by army officers and others from the security forces, working with local administrative structures, with the ultimate objective of increasing productivity on farms, thus ensuring food security.

The Zimbabwe Standard