SOUTHERN AFRICA BREAD BUSCKET TO CASE BUSKET:

WHAT WENT WRONG WITHIN THE ZIMBABWE

AGRICULTURE SECTOR.

Accordingly in 1980, the late President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania was able to say to then
Prime Minister Robert Mugabe that " You have inherited the jewel of Africa, please take care
not to spoil it" meaning a busket full of resources cuttng all sectors from agriculture.
The 'early part' of Zimbabwe produced millions of tonnes of grain and horticulture products.
Even during the worst periods of severe droughts, our silos would carry sufficient grain
reserves to take us through to the next rainy season. The country boasted of hard working rural
citizens routinely accorded 'Master Farmer' status, with critical knowledge imparted by
committed agriculture extension officers commonly referred to as 'abaDomeni / maDhomeni'.
I suspect this term was an adulteration of the word demonstrator - individuals paid by the State
to 'demonstrate sustainable farming methods.

During the first half of Mugabe’s rule (1980–2000), the country’s maize production contributed
a share of 5% to Africa’s output. While it was a net importer in most years, on average, the
country remained a net exporter of maize, with a declining maize trade balance (the difference
between a nation’s exports and imports).

The decline in Zimbabwe’s maize production and trade balance worsened following the
introduction of the country’s Fast-Track Land Reform Programme in 2001.The country’s share
of maize production on the continent dwindled to an average of 2% between 2001 and 2016.
During this period, Zimbabwe’s maize consumption outpaced production by an average of
550,000 tonnes per year – turning it into a net importer.
Millions of peasant farmers 'resettled' in previously title-secure commercial farms received
virtually no meaningful support to become successful farmers. Some of them had no skills and
resources of their own to produce grain. Five thousand white commercial farmers who were
rendered homeless abandoned agriculture and left for other countries with their skills. Their
unpaid farming debts crippled the banking sector. Fertiliser and tractor companies heavily
dependent on the agriculture value chain were liquidated, so were engineering companies in
Bulawayo and Gweru. In short, the collapse of agricultural production in a country whose
manufacturing sector was/is essentially founded on agri based industries inevitably led to the
collapse of manufacturing
Lack of cosisitant drought proofing policies to improve drought resilience of the system. This
includes improving storage systems, so that people can tide over from one season to the next;
encouraging switching to drought resistant crops such as small grains, and continuing to invest
in drought tolerant maize varieties; improving irrigation systems, including very small scale
water harvesting systems, as well as ‘schemes’; and focusing on livestock as an important asset
for exchange in times of drought

https://africacheck.org/2017/11/28/analysis-zimbabwe-ever-breadbasket-africa/
Drought proofing such production is needed as a core policy to improve the resilience of the
system. This includes improving storage systems, so that people can tide over from one season
to the next; encouraging switching to drought resistant crops such as small grains, and
continuing to invest in drought tolerant maize varieties; improving irrigation systems, including
very small scale water harvesting systems, as well as ‘schemes’; and focusing on livestock as
an important asset for exchange in times of drought
Maize production has fallen from a peak of 2 million tons in the year 2000 to just over 500
thousand tons in 2014; wheat from a peak of just over 300 thousand tons in 2001 to less than
10 thousand tons last year; coffee from 10 thousand tons in 1998 to around 1 000 tons in 2014;
beef from a peak of just under 160 thousand tons in 1991 to around 25 thousand tons by 2014;
milk from a peak of 250 million liters in 1991 to about 50 million liters by last year. As a result,
the country's food imports as a percentage of total imports has multiplied on average almost
seven-fold between the year 2000 and to date