Farmers frustration boils over as disastrous cotton season looms

Zimbabwe faces its worst cotton season in recent years due to low uptake of inputs under the Government’s farming programme stemming from distribution complexities as well as farmer frustration over recurring delays in payment for their crop.

Figures from the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA), which regulates the cotton sector, show a dramatic decline in planted area under the State funded scheme, dropping from over 250 000 hectares last year to just 112 000 hectares this year.

The Cotton Company of Zimbabwe acts as the administrator for the Presidential Free Inputs Scheme, which distributes inputs including fertilisers to targeted farmers.

The scheme, launched in 2014, aimed to rescue the Zimbabwe’s cotton industry from collapse after production had plummeted from a peak of 351 000 tonnes just two seasons prior to a mere 28 000 tonnes. Despite occasional dips in dry years, the subsequent seasons saw a substantial recovery, pushing output past 160 000 tonnes.

Crucially, the state-assisted cotton scheme ensured cotton remained a key agricultural export, generating foreign income and creating thousands of jobs. This provided a vital lifeline for hundreds of thousands of households in marginalised areas.

The Presidential scheme shoulders as much as over 80 percent of Zimbabwe’s cotton funding burden, leaving just a handful of small private players to fill the remaining gap.

While Cottco’s decentralised distribution network previously minimised travel distances for farmers, input distribution has been transferred to Grain Marketing Board depots, posing some logistical challenges for cotton growers mostly in the countryside.

Facing a lack of accessible transport, particularly in remote areas, some farmers embarked on arduous journeys to GMB depots, even resorting to animal-drawn carts.

This created a significant barrier, forcing some farmers to abandon their participation and this ultimately impacted the scheme’s overall uptake. Compounding the logistical challenge of collecting inputs were memories of unreliable past payments in the previous seasons, driving farmers away from this season’s scheme.

“Farmers expressed frustration with the long distances they had to travel to collect inputs, combined with lingering concerns about delayed payments from previous seasons,” Cotton Producers and Marketers Association Chairman Steward Mubonderi said.

“These factors significantly discouraged participation in the new programme,” he added.

The Government’s decision to appoint the GMB as the distribution agent stemmed from allegations of corruption within the previous system, with the goal of minimising potential financial losses, Permanent

Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Professor Orbet Jiri said.

Lack of expertise

Despite logistical challenges, the GMB’s lack of expertise in distributing time-sensitive inputs significantly impacted farmers. Unlike seeds, which only need to be planted early in the season, chemicals and top dressing fertiliser applications must be timed precisely according to the specific growth stage of the cotton plant.

The one-time distribution—even with a staggered rollout resulted in many farmers receiving inputs well past the optimal application window, hindering their effectiveness.

“The GMB’s lack of experience with time-sensitive inputs is concerning,” Mubonderi said.

“Seed and (basal) fertiliser might have some leeway, but chemicals are crucial at specific stages.

“Distributing everything at once is like giving a mechanic a toolbox without knowing how to use it. Farmers are left struggling, and the programme’s effectiveness suffers.

“We need targeted distribution strategies and training for whoever handles these inputs.”

Ironically, the GMB, whose previous involvement in the Presidential scheme resulted in a reported loss of US$25 million in taxpayer funds, was again entrusted with distributing inputs after the scheme’s dismal failure,” according to sources.

While the sources acknowledged that the GMB was not solely responsible for the losses, they maintained that the organisation significantly contributed to them.

“Entrusting the GMB with input distribution despite their reported involvement in the US$25 million loss in 2014 is puzzling,” said a former senior Cottco official, then in charge of operations. “While acknowledging other contributing factors, the GMB’s significant role cannot be swept under the rug,” the official added.

Grassroots structure

Cottco’s grassroots structure leveraged group leaders who closely monitored crop growth stages.

These leaders directly requested inputs from Cottco’s main centers, with subsequent delivery to designated pick-up points, ensuring timely access for farmers.

“Under Cottco’s old system, we had group leaders who were like our eyes and ears in the field. They knew exactly what our crops needed and when, and they could directly request the right inputs from the main centres. This meant we got what we needed, right on time, at designated pick-up points close by. It was a simple but effective system that made a big difference for us farmers,” said Mubonderi.

Following limited participation in the input distribution program, Cottco launched a national campaign promoting timely cotton planting amidst recent rainfall.

While later planting extends the window in the lowveld (until mid-February), success in other regions is unlikely due to timing constraints, according to some experts.

“For most regions, this approach simply is not feasible,” a former Cottco senior agronomist, who preferred not to be identified said, highlighting the significant differences in optimal planting windows across Zimbabwe’s diverse agricultural zones.

Outstanding payments

Mubonderi, whose organisation represents the interest of cotton growers revealed that its members are currently waiting on outstanding payments totalling US$4 million.

Cottco head of operations Munyaradzi Chikasha said farmer payment schedule depends on revenue generated, which he anticipates will increase thanks to enhanced ginnery performance. This boost is primarily driven by recent improvements in power supply stability and the implementation of backup power solutions.

“We understand the importance of timely payments to our farmers,” said Chikasha. “Our payment schedule will be directly linked to revenue generated, and we are confident it will increase significantly due to recent improvements in our ginneries’ performance.

“Stable power supplies and backup generators will drive this…we expect it to translate into faster and more consistent payments for our farmers in the near future.”

For farmers, late payments are a recurring nightmare, with some even forced to accept household goods including groceries as compensation. This exploitative practice, heavily criticised for its detrimental impact, persists despite promises of reform.-ebusinessweekly