The Zimbabwean government has made a major climb down and now allows farming joint ventures between new black farmers and former white commercial farmers.
It now also allows contract farming.
The move has been welcomed by many farmers who said this was long overdue.
Mugabe seems to have lost the plot as most Zanu PF bigwigs were denouncing contract farming and joint ventures publicly while secretly engaging former white commercial farmers as their partners.
Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement Douglas Mombeshora said farmers were now free to choose who they wanted to engage in joint ventures and contract farming.
“Joint ventures can be black to black, black to white, black to yellow or red…as long people agree on terms of the contract, but we need to see the contract before it is signed because we want to protect both parties and we encourage fair play not manipulation of one party by the other,” said Mombeshora Mombeshora said some people came to government complaining that they had been chased by resettled farmers after pouring resources on the farms.
Asked if this was a major U-turn on government policy on land, Mombeshora claimed government always allowed this to happen.
“It is not true to say that government ever disapproved contract farming and joint ventures…what government didn’t approve of [and doesn’t allow] even now is sub-leasing of land,” said Mombeshora…
photo credit: Sokwanele – Zimbabwe via photopin cc
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