Zim vice president warns ‘idle’ farmers

HARARE – As farming experts in Zimbabwe predict another dismal agricultural season, the country’s vice-president has threatened to take back farms from newly resettled black farmers if they do not fully use the land, a newspaper reported on Saturday.

“Vice President Comrade Joyce Mujuru … said all beneficiaries of land reform found under-utilising their farms are saboteurs who should lose those properties,” the state-controlled Herald said.Agricultural production in the country has rapidly declined since the launch five years ago of a controversial land-reform programme to resettle white-owned farms with blacks.”If you are not farming properly, this is sabotage at its highest level,” Mujuru was quoted as telling farmers in the capital, Harare, on Friday.”We want farmers who work the land for maximum production, not incompetents and idlers who just sit and do nothing,” she added.In 2000, President Robert Mugabe’s government began its seizure of white-owned commercial farms, previously seen as the country’s economic backbone.But many of the newly resettled farmers lack the capital or the skills needed to run productive commercial farms.The shortage of foreign currency has, along with poor rains, impacted heavily on agricultural production.Mujuru said Zimbabweans have to produce their own food.- Nampa-Sapasaid all beneficiaries of land reform found under-utilising their farms are saboteurs who should lose those properties,” the state-controlled Herald said.Agricultural production in the country has rapidly declined since the launch five years ago of a controversial land-reform programme to resettle white-owned farms with blacks.”If you are not farming properly, this is sabotage at its highest level,” Mujuru was quoted as telling farmers in the capital, Harare, on Friday.”We want farmers who work the land for maximum production, not incompetents and idlers who just sit and do nothing,” she added.In 2000, President Robert Mugabe’s government began its seizure of white-owned commercial farms, previously seen as the country’s economic backbone.But many of the newly resettled farmers lack the capital or the skills needed to run productive commercial farms.The shortage of foreign currency has, along with poor rains, impacted heavily on agricultural production.Mujuru said Zimbabweans have to produce their own food.- Nampa-Sapa