The Sunday News
BULAWAYO will this year host the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union national annual congress where farmers are set to deliberate and strategise for the summer season.
The three-day congress will be held from 16 to 18 October under the theme “ZCFU: Realigning and Strategising the farming business in line with Zim Asset.”
In an interview ZCFU chairperson for Matabeleland North Mr Winston Babbage said the congress was set to come up with ways of tackling issues affecting the agricultural sector.
“We are going to discuss a number of issues such as the need for farmers to take farming as a business,” said Mr Babbage.
He said the congress, which will be attended by delegates from all the provinces, is going to adopt methods farmers can use to ensure that their business ventures are in line with best farming practices.
“We want farming to be done properly using the latest methods that are sustainable,” said Mr Babbage.
He said they were going to discuss how best farmers can fund themselves and stop relying on Government subsidies.
Mr Babbage also said they have invited relevant stakeholders in the farming sector such as banks, suppliers and contract farming companies to discuss many pertinent issues affecting them.
“We have invited banks to discuss the issue of the 99-year lease.
“We want them to use land as collateral security. We have also invited Zesa and Zimbabwe National Water Authority to discuss the issue of tariffs,” he said.
The annual congress is also an opportunity for union stakeholders to meet and talk to farmers about their programmes, products and services.
ZCFU is a farmer organisation registered in terms of the Farmers Licensing and Levy Act (Chapter 18:10) 1996.
The union draws its membership from communal, resettlement, A1, A2, small and large scale commercial farming community.
It has an estimated membership of 10 000.
