Government To Employ A New Funding Model For Command Agriculture

To unlock the $2.8 Billion needed for command agriculture the government of Zimbabwe has adopted a new funding model that will see it providing guarantees with banks and the private sector funding the programme. The Government has since invited private partners to fund the project. Speaking during a Q&A session before senate last week Agriculture Minister Perence Shiri said:

The approach to financing the special maize and soya beans programme which is commonly referred to as Command Agriculture has changed for the forthcoming season. The programme will be funded through the banks and private sector with Government providing guarantees. Treasury has committed to issue a guarantee worth RTGS$968 million to unlock the required funding of RTGS$ 2,8 billion for the programme

We have approached various stakeholders to play their respective roles and we are in the process of receiving and distributing inputs to the farmers. So, funding has been availed for the coming 2019/2020 season though the approach this year is slightly varied from what we used to do. However, funding has already been put in place and acquisition of various inputs like fertilisers, chemicals and seed is already taking place and has taken place in some cases and farmers have started receiving inputs

Command Agriculture in the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 seasons swallowed $3 Billion dollars but has shown very minimal results with the government seeking to import maize these year and wheat shortages that sometimes cause bread shortages in the country.

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