The Sunday News
Noble Ncube, Farming Reporter
FARMERS who benefited from the land reform programme especially those under A2 must start coming up with business models that will ensure their activities are commercial in nature so that they can contribute to the growth of the economy.
Speaking during the launch of the Shangani Sanctuary in Matabeleland South last week, Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora said most resettled farmers were just waiting to be bailed out by the Government while they are not doing anything to justify the commercial aspect of farming.
“A2 farmers are commercial and must be productive by any means. Farmers with such big farms should be business minded. Some of you are just staying there doing nothing. We must learn to share as a community and develop ourselves. What I’m seeing being created here is a joint venture. I have approved this joint in principle but there must be a formal document. We want to take it to other areas across the country, they must come, see and copy from here,” he said.
The Shangani Sanctuary is a project where local farmers converted part of their farms into a sanctuary for wildlife.
The farmers are mandated to fence the perimeters around their homesteads and fields so that there will not be problems emanating from wildlife.
As a result farmers live together with wild animals that include zebras, wildebeests, warthogs, monkeys, tsesebe, steenboks, sables, reedbucks, leopards, klipspringers, kudus, jackals, impalas, giraffes, elands, duikers, bush pigs, brown hyenas and baboons among others.
Dr Mombeshora said farmers who were utilising their allocated pieces of land will never be evicted. He castigated outsiders who were busy bad mouthing Zimbabwe’s programmes.
“For all who have been worried that we are going to take back unproductive farms in this area, I say you have been saved by joining this sanctuary project. We will replace anyone who breaches this initiative. As we are here today I don’t think this man in the United States called Bob Corker knows that we are a happy community of both races, black and white sitting together planning to push Zimbabwe to a higher level,” he said.
Mr Corker recently renewed Western countries blabber tones about the need to stiffen sanctions on Zimbabwe.
“I am mentioning this Corker because a few days ago he came up trying to push for tougher economic sanctions on Zimbabwe and mentioning in particular that we should reverse our land reform. No, we are not going to do that because we are seeing our communities benefitting from the land reform,” said Dr Mombeshora.
Water, Environment and Climate Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri said her ministry welcomed the unique initiative that was undertaken by the farmers.
“As a ministry we are behind this project with full support. This is part of our efforts to get beneficiary results of the land reform programme. We are working on effectively distributing land in a form of wildlife based kind reform. We want to identify areas that are more populated with wildlife and align them to conservancy parks so that local communities benefit from their surroundings,” she said.
The multi-million sanctuary is an initiative of former Bulawayo Mayor Cde Joshua Malinga who partnered with farmer Mr Jim Goddard and is intended to cover an area of up to 67 000 hectares. The area is already boasting of more than 2 728 various wild animals. The material used for the boundary of the domain is a three-metre high 18-strand game fence. Wildlife is allowed to move freely from one end of the perimeter to the other.
Cde Malinga, who is also the chairman of the project said the sanctuary was a unique project that would create jobs for the local community and the region.
“We want to create jobs for the people. When it stretches further there will be opportunities for farmers to venture into tourism. They will be able to build lodges at the same time benefiting from the wildlife around us. To curb anti-poaching, all farmers who are signatories will be allocated with switch radios to communicate,” he said.
Cde Malinga said the initiative was guided by the 10 Point Plan and Zim Asset which seek to empower people and create employment. Mr Goddard called upon farmers living near the sanctuary to desist from poaching the animals.
“Sanctuary members are to continue with their current livestock and crop production for both domestic and commercial use but modified to a holistic approach. The benefit of the environment is remarkable. Sanctuary members are to develop eco-tourism for their own benefit. Residents will benefit from the financial gains arising from the organised commercial management of both crops and game,” he said.
He said the sanctuary would organise sale of wildlife species and manage commercial hunting activities and the proceeds will be shared among the members. Mr Goddard said the sale of game in the sanctuary can rake in $1,9 million in a period of 15 years.
