Dark cloud around season’s silver lining

THE impending eviction of thousands of illegal land occupiers and the expected perennial flooding in low-lying areas like Muzarabani are the only dents in the otherwise promising 2016/17 agricultural season.

As preparations for the season gather momentum, the future of thousands of families served with eviction orders for illegally occupying land hangs in the balance as Government is yet to enforce the eviction orders. The illegal settlers also face prosecution.

Normal to above normal rainfall is expected in most parts of Zimbabwe this season.

Government, in partnership with the private sector, has intensified efforts to ensure farmers are adequately equipped by mobilising inputs.

Introducing the two-pronged Special Maize Programme which caters for both irrigated and non-irrigated schemes, Government wants to make sure that food insecurity is arrested.

Last week Government said US$85 million would go to the irrigated component with US$75 million allocated to the non-irrigated component.

Apart from the Special Maize Programme, there is also the Presidential Inputs Scheme which covers A1 and communal farmers.

Government also announced its intention to revive cotton farming by ploughing US$36 million dollars in the sector.

Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa last week said Government had secured US$423 million to support this season with a further US$500 million being sought.

So far 500 tonnes of maize seed, two million litres of fuel, 4 380 tonnes of ammonia nitrate fertiliser and 20 000 tonnes of lime has been secured. The inputs were earmarked to reach farmers countrywide last week.

Mr Wonder Chabikwa, the president of the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union, said indications were that the season could be one of the most productive in recent years.

“Basing on the funds and inputs that have so far been sourced by Government, farmers are excited that this season might actually be one of the best in recent years. Farmers cannot wait to get back to the actual planting,” Mr Chabikwa said.

While Government is on course to ensure this season is successful, the capacity of departments like the Civil Protection Unit to adequately deal with floods has once again come to the fore.

The impending eviction of illegally settled farmers is also a grey area that will, to an extent, affect intended agricultural output.

Disaster preparedness

Although the Meteorological Services Department often avails flood warnings, the CPU is simply too underfunded to do as much as it would like to.

Some of the rainfall-related hazards include cyclones, lightning and hailstorms among other things.

CPU acting director Ms Sibusisiwe Ndlovu said the unit was conducting community awareness programmes in high-risk areas.

“In collaboration with our partners and stakeholders, we have developed early warning systems and flood response manuals. Awareness programmes are also being conducted in high-risk areas,” Ms Ndlovu said.

In 2015, the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society reported that 10 people died in floods across the country with many houses destroyed.

A United Nations report said in 2015, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West and Midlands were the most affected provinces.

The Muzarabani headache

In 2015, the Nyadimbo family of Chitimbe Village, Muzarabani had a nightmarish start to the New Year when they were marooned on the banks of the flooded Musengezi River following heavy rains.

For close to 10 hours — including the better part of the night - Weston Nyadimbo, his two wives and 10 children clutched onto tree branches as rising waters threatened to sweep away the entire family.

Nyadimbo has not abandoned his flood-prone fields. His family might once again dice with death.

The illegal settlers occupying land on the confluence of Mukorodzi and Musengezi rivers often suffer severe losses due to flooding.

People are attracted to the area by the rich alluvial soils that constitute the two rivers’ flood plains.

Each time the rivers’ banks break, rich top soil from upstream areas like Mvurwi and Centenary are deposited into fields, making them very fertile.

When The Sunday Extra visited Muzarabani in January 2015, close to 5 000 people were stranded in flooded villages in Muzarabani. The roads were not accessible and crops were washed away. Kaerezi, Chiwenga, Chadereka, Hoya, Mutema and Museredza wards were completely inaccessible. Thousands were left facing acute food shortages.

Last year, Mt Darwin, Muzarabani and Mbire were the most affected areas in the Mashonaland Central province and despite this history, illegal settlers are adamant they will not leave.

“We were given this land by our forefathers and it is our duty to safeguard it. This place used to the headquarters of such revered spirit mediums as Mbuya Nehanda, Chidyamauyu, Chiwawa and Mkombwe,” said Mr Alfred Matombo said in an interview last year.

Impending evictions

Farmers who have illegally settled themselves on State land are living in fear after the Agriculture and Rural Resettlement Ministry issued eviction orders.

Government gave the farmers up to September 6, 2016 to move. That deadline has since passed, and Lands Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora said Government had extended it to the end of September.

“We are visiting the provinces talking to the farmers and the political and traditional leaders. From the meetings that we have had with the farmers, we noted that some of the illegal settlers were given the land by politicians,” Dr Mombeshora said.

“We have so far been to Mashonaland West, Matebeleland South and the Midlands provinces. Close to 4 500 families in Mashonaland West have heeded our call.”

Dr Mombeshora blamed the farmers for the impending evictions.

“It is their fault. What they are doing is criminal and they must go back to where they came from. We have so far arrested two people in connection with the illegal sale of State land.”

Zvimba East, in Mashonaland West, is one of the areas in which hundreds of families have illegally occupied land originally reserved for pastures, shopping centres and schools.

When The Sunday Mail Extra visited Sunnyside Farm, about 15km from Harare’s Dzivarasekwa Extension, some of the families were going about their business as if everything was normal. Some have even drilled boreholes whilst others have built large houses.

One of the illegally settled farmers, who identified himself as Jaricha, is in a desperate situation.

“I received the eviction order but I do not have the money to ferry my belongings to Muzarabani where I came from. I will only wait and see,” Jaricha, who had clearly resigned to fate, said.

According to Jaricha, he was allocated three hectares by the local leadership early this year.

“When I was served with the eviction order, I confronted those that allocated me the land but they have not been forthcoming. I am not sure whether I should continue with land preparations or not.”

Some of the illegally settled farmers are yet to get eviction orders.