ZIMBABWE celebrates 37 years of independence on April 18.
Land was one of the reasons blacks took up arms to fight the colonial regime.
As Zimbabweans celebrate 37 years of self-rule, they also enjoy the privilege of being the owners of the land.
Policies have been put in place to ensure Zimbabweans play a pivotal role in key economic sectors.
One such sector where Government has made Zimbabweans masters is the agriculture sector, which is the backbone of the country’s economy.
In 2000 Government embarked on the Land Reform Programme under which land was redistributed to indigenous Zimbabweans.
Prior to the programme, only 4 000 white farmers owned prime land.
Today more than 400 000 households have been allocated land.
Resettled farmers have not disappointed.
They continue to work hard to drive the agricultural sector despite challenges they are facing.
The Land Reform Programme irked Britain and her allies as over the years whites dominated the sector resulting in them imposing illegal economic sanctions on the country.
All this was meant to derail efforts by resettled farmers. However, locals have not looked back; instead they have continued to work hard to improve the sector.
Addressing the Central Committee meeting recently President Robert Mugabe applauded the nation for strides made in the sector.
“We have regained our status as a food-secure nation, something which must be applauded,” he said.
“The promise of a good agricultural performance translates, quite naturally, into even greater support for our party as we inch towards the 2018 harmonised elections.”
With continued support from Government, farmers have continued to prosper.
“Our flagship Command Agriculture Programme and traditional Presidential Input Scheme demonstrated, not just our closeness to the people, but the correctness of our policies and programmes in bringing about a quick recovery and turnaround in the pivotal agricultural sector.”
Indigenous farmers have since ventured into production of crops such as tobacco, cotton, sugarcane and maize on a commercial level.
Commercial farming was a ‘preserve’ of white minority farmers.
Statistics indicate that over the years, there is growing interest by resettled farmers to shame the country’s detractors who have labelled them failures. The tobacco production sub-sector has grown over the years with production levels rising from an all-time low of 48,8 million kilogrammes (kg) in 2008 to 60 million kg in 2009.
In 2010, the country produced 123 million and 132,5 million kg in 2011.
In 2012 farmers produced 144,5 million kg valued at US$527,6 million.
Earnings for farmers increased as they pocketed US$586 million from US$566 million in 2015.
Farmers are also producing cotton the country’s second largest export crop.
The cotton industry has proved to be a significant source of income and employment that is vital for economic growth.
At least 25 percent of the country’s rural population derives livelihoods from cotton farming.
Measures to improve cotton production are in place as stakeholders aim to improve on numbers of growers producing it and yield.
Production of the white gold, over the past seasons, lost its lustre.
Frustrated by poor returns, growers had abandoned the crop, turning to more lucrative crops such as tobacco.
Price disputes became the order of the day during marketing of cotton with farmers arguing that prices offered by ginners were not viable.
Cotton production was proving to be a more lucrative business for ginners than farmers.
For the 2016/2017 cropping season cotton growers received support under the Presidential Input Scheme.
Under the scheme, farmers received a full package of inputs for a quarter hectare from Government that include seed, fertilisers and chemicals.
Grain production, which indigenous farmers have always been practising on a small-scale, is now being done commercially by resettled farmers.
Under Command Agriculture, Government is targeting to produce two million tonnes under 400 000 ha.
The Presidential Inputs Scheme is also in place with distribution of inputs having commenced.
Resettled farmers have also taken up livestock production.
Efforts are being made to boost the national herd to 25 million in the next 20 years.
The herd stands at five million.
The Livestock facility under the Command Agriculture Programme is working towards the resuscitation of the Cold Storage Company (CSC).
Farmers are venturing in dairy production which was in the past done on a small-scale level.
Fish and crocodile farming, which traditionally were domains of white farmers, have since been taken over by indigenous farmers.
In the poultry sector, where the norm was for communal farmers to only produce for consumption, changes are being witnessed as resettled farmers are taking up the trade commercially.
Small-scale farmers have continued to play a pivotal role in boosting the poultry sector, contributing 65 percent to production.
As the conducive environment continues to prevail, farmers have to remain united in driving the agriculture sector.