Prudent monitoring mechanism needed in command agriculture
RECENT weeks have been laden with a glut of interests. Zambia embarrassed the West, when it was confident that their lapdogs would win. Some Zimbabweans were heartbroken when their darling of the moment escalated his world tour to Atlanta and Washington DC enroute South Africa. The “sweetheart” confirmed my first article that he indeed is “The Devil on the Cross”. He told his “lovers” that they are “haters”, Hebanna! William a.k.a Acie deprecated Joyce and Morgan while Tsvangirai and Mujuru got betrothed, politically of course. I simply could not assimilate the fruition of my political prophesies that heaped in just one week.
For all those who are civically heartbroken that #Thisflag dejected them and proved that I was veracious, I say to you, it’s not too late to swot your political choices, I am your civil Jeremiah, I will oracle the doom, but I assure you deliverance. So far so good, as Professor Jonathan Moyo hash tagged, I am still correct. Richard Mahomva told you about Evan, Professor Jonathan Moyo did too, I bequeathed you a double dish, Evan and Acie, and here I am, reminding you that Evan is an entrepreneur, he is in business, Acie was bitter, he will cool down for sure, he now is desperate, let’s wait for his turn when he thwarts his young disciples. Perhaps my people need political tutelage lest you seem like a vocal thought humdrum.
This lecture, which I give at your involuntary request, will necessarily disappoint you in a number of ways. You will naturally expect me to take a position on actual problems of the day. But that will be the case only in a purely formal way and toward the end, when I shall raise certain questions concerning the significance of political action in the whole way of life. In today’s article, all questions that refer to what policy and what content one should give one’s political activity must be eliminated. For such questions have nothing to do with the general question of what politics as a vocation means and what it can mean.
Now to our subject matter. What do we understand by politics as a vocation? Politics, just as economic pursuits, may be a man’s avocation or his vocation. One may engage in politics, and hence seek to influence the distribution of power within and between political structures, as an “occasional” politician, for instance Evan Mawarire. We are all “occasional” politicians when we cast our ballot or consummate a similar expression of intention, such as applauding or protesting in a “political” meeting, or delivering a “political” speech, etc. The whole relation of many people to politics is restricted to this. Politics as an avocation is today practised by all those party agents and heads of voluntary political associations who, as a rule, are politically active only in case of need and for whom politics is, neither materially nor ideally, “their life” in the first place. The same holds for those members of state counsels and similar deliberative bodies that function only when summoned.
Surely, politics is made with the head, but it is certainly not made with the head alone. In this the proponents of an ethic of ultimate ends are right. One cannot prescribe to anyone whether he should follow an ethic of absolute ends or an ethic of responsibility, or when the one and when the other. Politics is a strong and slow boring of hard boards. It takes both passion and perspective. Certainly all historical experience confirms the truth — that man would not have attained the possible unless time and again he had reached out for the impossible. But to do that, a man must be a leader, and not only a leader but a hero as well, in a very sober sense of the word. And even those who are neither leaders nor heroes must arm themselves with that steadfastness of heart which can brave even the crumbling of all hopes. This is necessary right now, or else Zimbabweans will not be able to attain even that which is possible today. Only he who has the calling for politics is sure that he shall not crumble when the world from his point of view is too stupid or too base for what he wants to offer. Only he who in the face of all this can say “In spite of all!” has the calling for politics. It is such comprehension that is wanting in most of my people today. You failed to asses Evan when he ensnared you to subscribe to his YouTube channel; you muddled politics of religion with the role of religion in politics. It is such schizophrenia that
Faced with persistent unstable climatic conditions, the Government will in October launch the Targeted Command Agriculture scheme whose main thrust is to ensure food security and economically empower farmers. Unlike other similar past schemes, the Targeted Command Agriculture scheme is unique in a number of ways. The participant farmers would be carefully selected according to proximity to water bodies, has specific realistic goals and therefore less cumbersome in execution.
Although noble in perspective, previous schemes like Operation Maguta (2005) was such a massive programme involving thousands of farmers, some of whom were first timers who needed constant handholding.
Initiated by Cabinet, Operation Maguta was spearheaded by the then Agriculture Minister Dr Joseph Made and Defence Minister Dr Sydney Sekeramayi. The Joint Operation Committee (JOC) comprising of the army, police, prisons and the intelligence services were also involved in the implementation of the scheme meant to cushion newly resettled farmers.
Agriculture and Rural Development Authority (Arda) and the Agricultural Technical Extension Services (Agritex) were also involved in the identification of beneficiaries around the country. Halfway through the programme, it became clear that hundreds of Agritex officers deployed throughout the country could not cope with the sheer numbers of the farmers needing assistance and close monitoring.
It also became clear that although the goals of the scheme were grandiose, the means to execute and put in place checks and balances were meager. As a result Operation Maguta was dogged by a number of administrative problems.
At its inception Operation Maguta targeted to place 1 500 hectares under maize production in the 2005/2006 farming season and to produce 2 250 tonnes of maize. It also intended to produce 90 000 tonnes of tobacco, 49 500 tonnes of maize seed, 210 000 tonnes of cotton, 750 000 of horticulture crops. Notable goals were realised but not to the intended expectations because of a number of hurdles.
The scheme was riddled with inefficiencies especially in the distribution of inputs and other resources. In some cases, lack of prudent monitoring mechanisms resulted in double allocation of farm implements and criminal elements took advantage of the system’s opaqueness and ended up being recipients of implements and other resources allocated to deserving farmers.
In his 2005 Fourth Quarter Monetary Policy Review Statement, the then Reserve bank Governor Dr Gideon Gono revealed massive abuse of the heavily subsidised diesel meant for agricultural purposes.
It seems, however, that the current scheme being spearheaded by the chairperson of the Food Security Committee, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, is intent on ensuring that the implementation process is tightly monitored to ensure maximum efficiency guarantee for food security.
As illustrated by Vice- President Mnangagwa during a recent Senate briefing; “The first crushed your civil optimisms to pulp. Next time remember what I said.
Let me confirm to you how the social movements are in business and the populace is the market commodity. There are two ways of making politics one’s vocation: Either one lives “for” politics or one lives “off ” politics. By no means is this contrast an exclusive one. The rule is, rather, that man does both, at least in thought, and certainly he also does both in practice. He who lives “for” politics makes politics his life, in an internal sense which is what most nationalists depicted in the past years since our liberation. Either he enjoys the naked possession of the power he exerts, or he nourishes his inner balance and self-feeling by the consciousness that his life has meaning in the service of a “cause”. In this internal sense, every sincere man who lives for a cause also lives off this cause. The distinction hence refers to a much more substantial aspect of the matter, namely, to the economic. He who strives to make politics a permanent source of income lives “off ” politics as a vocation, whereas he who does not do this lives “for” politics. Under the dominance of the private property order, some, if you wish, very trivial preconditions must exist in order for a person to be able to live “for” politics in this economic sense. Under normal conditions, the politician must be economically independent of the income politics can bring him. This means, quite simply, that the politician objective is to be self-sufficient in the provision of food within the next three or four seasons in this country. To be self-sufficient, we need at least two million metric tonnes of grain in the country.”
The difference between the Maguta scheme and this scheme is that the targeted 2 000 farmers — a manageable figure — can be co-ordinated with less hassles. Besides targeting farmers close to water bodies, the scheme will also enhance the operations of Arex officers most of whom seem to have become redundant.
It cannot be in doubt that the success of the scheme will largely depend on the Government’s capacity in mobilising and harnessing domestic resources. If successful, the scheme will not only be able to guarantee food security but will also create employment in downstream industries.
Vice-President Mnangagwa said even a farmer with 50 hectares can join with another with similar hectares to qualify for the scheme which will provide farm implements, fertiliser and seeds.
“A distinct advantage of the project is that it is self-financing, with each participating farmer being required to commit five tonnes per hectare towards repayment of advanced loans in the form of irrigation equipment, inputs and chemicals, mechanised equipment, electricity and water charges.”
The attractiveness of the scheme to the farmer is that he/she can retain the surplus for personal use. This will seriously motivate farmers to use whatever implements to be made available by the Government to maximum use so as to reap surplus which can be sold to the market.
Every farmer is aware that success is hinged on three major ingredients. These include efficiency, land and water. Land and water are central to agriculture and rural development and are linked to global challenges of food security and poverty.
Cognisant of fluctuating climatic conditions, there is therefore need to harness water in order to mitigate the effects of drought and further depletion of natural resources that affect the livelihoods of Zimbabweans.
It is hoped that besides empowering the targeted farmers the scheme will also assist in highlighting the significance of land and water, finite resources that form the basis for food production and thus must be sustainably and productively utilised.
Vice-President Mnangagwa must also be commended for introducing the National Livestock Strategy aimed at resuming beef exports to the European Union, Middle East and other markets. Already 2 000 hectares are being cleared for irrigated grass at Arda-Ngwizi in Mangwe, Matabeleland South, enough to feed 60 000 animals per annum.
In the end, the dream of optimising output by requiring a minimum input for food and export crops is not a mirage. Indeed, the success of the Targeted Command Agriculture will not be inseparable to the general economic recovery of the country. — Zimpapers
Syndication Services must be wealthy or must have a personal position in life which yields a sufficient income. However, a new wave of entrepreneurship has emerged, new ideologically starved imbeciles rob the masses of their hard acquired reasoning, making them believe that permanently failing models are miraculously changed only to realise that politics is a way of life, that those who are not called to it, do not survive, they serve a temporary mood and disappoint followers. It’s a trend in opposition politics. They selectively or perhaps are ignorant that it’s a matter of devotion and calling, just like priesthood.
You don’t’ know what you don’t know Every evil belongs to Zanu-PF — is the avowal on every opposition politician’s lips. It is absurd how every opposition failure has been attached to Zanu-PF interference. When they fail to make credible decisions as a party, they blame Zanu-PF, when they succumb to competition pressure they blame Zanu-PF when their leaders misguide them they blame Zanu-PF, every failure is alleged to be Zanu-PF machinations. I think its high time opposition joins Zanu-PF once and for all because there is no essence in competing in a plateau where you already assume that your competitor will out-do you.
The problem is we use stomachs to think than our brains. When you are hungry you cease to rationally think, all you think about is how to satisfy that grumbling stomach and not use your head to make decisions that will feed you, your family and generations to come. Whenever a new political phenomenon emerges, people throng with allegiance, assuming its redemption for them, but redemption from what, is my question. My people do not take time to evaluate their redeemer who in every case fails and they turn to blame Zanu-PF for mechanising that failure.
I then wonder why one would continuously not join Zanu-PF, if it is that good at thwarting opposition.
The height of naivety is when your party fails and you create conspiracies of how Zanu-PF has a hand in it; 1) assuming that its true; you are confirming that Zanu-PF is that good in competitive terrain that your party was out-done again; 2) because it’s a lie, the fact that you think that Zanu-PF is capable of doing it confirms that you consent that they are good at doing it, either way you consent that Zanu-PF is a political headlock against its competitors.
When you think of it being able to do what you allege, you do not deny the weakling of opposition, the fact that you thought of it is consent enough. Bvuma! Zanu-PF is that good!.
I do not recall Zanu-PF approaching Tsvangirayi to marry the daughter of one of their Politburo adherent; neither did they genetically transfer his spring of infidelity stubbornness.
His 2005 refusal to be democratic to the point of Welshman Ncube and Gibson Sibanda walking out or Tsvangirayi walking out (The Jonah syndromekukhona owaginywayo), is a result of bad leadership decision made by the electorate.
It is at this point that you hear pedestrians and even esteemed political “mavericks” blaming Zanu-PF for planting its people to disengineer opposition politics. Well, since opposition participates in a multiparty democracy where the political space is competitive, they should admit that they have been outdone. Again!
My gist is not to campaign for anyone, but to enlighten my fellow comrades that opposition politics, whether we call it a social movement should refrain from its political hypocrisy and bigotry.
When you adopt democratic culturalism, do not forget that it’s a competition and stop assuming that people cannot think on their own without being paid. Because you are paid, it doesn’t mean we are also paid to think this way. #borrowedmindsetsmustfall.
Last but not least, let us not fool ourselves that Patriotic parties have lost support. Politics does not happen on Facebook and in chat groups.
Deep in the heart of Muzarabani, Madabe, Siansundu, the electorate does not subscribe to YouTube channels. This is where people are. This is where real politics happens.
If your hallucinations tell you that Patriotic parties have failed people, then visit Zambia and ask them who is ruling today, Go to Tanzania and ask them what Chama Cha Mapinduzi is, infact do not go far, ask Namibians if SWAPO is not politically rich.
Politics is made with the head, not with the other parts of body, nor the soul.
The most effective politician is one who can excite the emotions of the people who follow, while governing strictly with a cold hard reason the head.
I am tired of sentimental quandaries by day dreamers. Let us wait for 2018. #2018willtell
Micheal Mhlanga is a research and strategic communication specialist and is currently serving Leaders for Africa Network (LAN) as the Programmes and Public Liaison Officer. He also administrates multiple youth public dialogue forums in Zimbabwe including the annual Reading Pan Africanism Symposium (REPS) and Back to Pan Africanism Conference. Feedback can be sent to michealmhlanga@abakhokheli.org