"This winter we also encourage farmers to produce Irish potatoes. Cabinet directed that we look at all food crops that can be grown." Made can "encourage" until his face turns a deep blue. But in the absence of two key winter farming ingredients – electricity and irrigation equipment – we can disregard his statement, or file it in section F for falsehoods, along with his boss' promise of two million jobs and those Chinese mega deals.
Apart from his dreams of Irish potatoes, Made spoke of Brazilian assistance in an irrigation scheme: "The Brazilian program will be launched soon. We will give farmers irrigation equipment, pumps, tractors and planting implements."
Readers please note the ubiquitous word "soon." (Soon there will be foreign investment, soon the Zambezi water project for Bulawayo will be complete, soon…).
The million dollar question is: with what money? And here is another question, are these not the same new farmers who inherited mahala tractors and irrigation equipment from the evicted white farmers? They sold or vandalised all that they got for free in 2000. Why does Made expect the new farmers to behave differently this time around?
The majority of Zimbabweans earn less than $100 a month. The retail price for a sack of potatoes is $13. A family of 6 will consume the entire packet in 3 days. It is reasonable to ask if the people in government live in a parallel universe.
Post published in: News