Illegal sanctions wilt growth of agric sector
AS October 25 2021, the day of solidarity with Zimbabwe against illegal sanctions imposed on the Southern African nation by the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union draws nearer, it is important to reflect on how the sanctions have negatively impacted on the agricultural sector and the people’s right to food.
The unilateral sanctions brought a myriad of challenges to the agriculture sector, making it extremely difficult for players in the industry to access agricultural lines of credit and attract investment.
This resulted in lack of development, rehabilitation, modernisation and deterioration of production and marketing infrastructure, ultimately reducing productivity and access to markets.
The sanctions affected the livelihood of thousands of households owing to lower agricultural yields and this derailed Zimbabwe’s quest to attain the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) against poverty and hunger.
In essence, the illegal sanctions have violated basic human rights by directly perpetuating hunger and poverty in Zimbabwe.
Several key institutions with direct influence to the agricultural sector were placed under sanctions, while other financial services providers where slapped with huge fines.
Zimbabwe used to have a well- developed input support, manufacturing and processing industries, however, the lack of investment and lines of credit made it difficult for these industries to restore and invest in better plant and machinery.
Due to the sanctions, the market access for horticulture, sugar, beef and cotton, among other agricultural produce, was negatively affected.
Horticulture was the fastest growing sector and generated significant amounts of foreign exchange and at one point becoming the second largest foreign exchange earner after tobacco.
Because of sanctions, the country lost most of its niche and lucrative markets for horticulture productions.
Previously farmers used to export horticulture produce to Netherlands and the UK.
However, markets were closed due to the sanctions, resulting in a significant decline in the horticulture industry.
The short supply of vaccines and other drugs indicate how sanctions affected animal health in the country. This resulted in failure by the relevant departments to control diseases like foot and mouth and this in turn affected the country’s beef export.
A number of agricultural programmes and projects were terminated because of sanctions.
The Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) support to Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector in 1998 was about US$15,4 million.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) among other projects were stopped after the imposition of sanctions.
Despite all the effects of the illegal sanctions, Government under the leadership of President Mnangagwa has not been resting on its laurels as it has ensured food security by investing in agriculture through programmes such as the Command Agriculture and the Presidential Well-Wishers Input Scheme.
Tobacco and cotton production has been on the increase as well since the launch of the land reform programme.
The country harvested around 2,7 million tonnes of maize this year, the highest yield in 20 years, a clear indication of how the country’s farming sector is defying the odds against sanctions.
The country is also anticipating to record more than 320 000 metric tonnes of wheat, against a national annual requirement of 360 000 metric tonnes, again another high after so many years of decline.
Zimbabwe has also launched the Livestock Growth Plan aimed at increasing the national herd of cattle to six million by 2025.
The country is poised for an agricultural revolution riding on the National Enhanced Agricultural Productivity Scheme (NEAPS) also known as Command Agriculture and Pfumvudza/Intwasa programmes.
Again, more than 140 000 farmers now engage in tobacco production, while close to one million people are directly dependent on the golden leaf.
A total of 205,9 kg of tobacco worth US$ 574,8 million had been delivered for auction as at August 23, surpassing this year’s projection of 200 million kg by 2,95 percent.
Last year, the country produced a total of 184 million kg of the golden leaf. Tobacco generates 30 percent of the country’s foreign currency, bringing in over US$600 million annually.
According to the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board, tobacco exports have so far earned the country more than US$763 million with more value-added tobacco in the form of cut rag and cut stems having been exported in 2020 compared
to 2019.
The Presidential Input Scheme has helped in the resuscitation of the cotton industry, which is a major source of employment for the farmers.
Financially, cotton has been bringing in an average of US$70 million annually. Earnings have grown from US$11 million in 2016 up to US$70 million at present and benefits have accrued along the value chain and around the cotton production ecosystem.
The country’s agriculture sector is a sign of the nation’s resilience in the wake of illegal sanctions and the current projects being undertaken by the Second Republic should be applauded as they are being done under the sanctioned environment.
It has been 21 years since the illegal sanctions were imposed on the country and the Government has managed to rely on locally available resources to develop the agricultural sector.
The smart policies by the Second Republic to promote investment in the agricultural sector have successfully transformed the county’s fortunes.
With all these efforts, Zimbabwe will leapfrog into becoming a US$8,2 billion agriculture economy by 2025 in line with the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy, the National Development Strategy 1 and Vision 2030.
The visit to Zimbabwe by a United Nations Special Rapporteur, Elena Douhan from October 18 to 28 2021, to assess the impact of Western sanctions on the country will hopefully help lay bare the full extent of how the embargo is a violation of human rights.