Maize and seed under contract farming

As Zimbabwe enters a period of agricultural recovery underpinned by a change of donor emphasis from emergency food aid to food security, SNV and its partners have facilitated the contracting of 2200 smallholder farmers by Agriseeds, a reputable Zimbabwean seed company.

Under the programme, made possible through funding availed by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Australian Aid, the contracted farmers will grow seed for sorghum, cowpeas and groundnuts. Agriseeds will provide all the necessary inputs to the farmers and recover the input costs when the farmers sell their produce to the company. The company will also provide the farmers with maize seed for their own food security. Income security of the contracted farmers will be safeguarded through guaranteed minimum market prices.

According to SNV Development Advisor, Sithembile Maunze, the pilot project is meant to be much more than a mere contract farming arrangement since it is crafted in such a way that food security and income security of the farmers is secured in a sustainable manner.

“SNV will provide capacity building to the farmers in terms of business and entrepreneurial skills and also good farming practices. We will train agronomists and field extension workers who have been hired by Agriseeds to work on the programme. We want the programme to be sustainable and to that end the money the farmers will repay for the input loans will be put in a revolving fund that will finance the next phase and possibly more farmers next year."

She added the programme will be well-managed since it has SNV as coordinator and fund manager of the funds from Australian Aid, whilst Hivos will manage the funds from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.