Published by the government of Zimbabwe
22 June 2005
Harare — URBAN farming has been banned with effect from the next ploughing season, police said yesterday.
The Officer Commanding Harare province Senior Assistant Commissioner Edmore Veterai said police would not hesitate to destroy the crops if people defied the ban.
He said they would arrest violators of the ban without fear or favour.
"We would like to give a three-month sufficient notice that urban agriculture has been banned and people should stop the practice," he said.
He said urban agriculture had a bad effect in that it caused land degradation and siltation.
Snr Asst Comm Veterai said urban agriculture had disastrous effects as it loosened soils on slopes that resulted in the soils being washed away and blocking water pipes.
"We are not going to tolerate such practices and we will not hesitate to destroy the crops by spraying them (with chemicals)," he said.
He urged the people to plant flowers and lawns rather than practice urban agriculture which causes degradation everywhere around the city.
Harare City Council spokesman Mr Leslie Gwindi said the decision was taken following the laxity that had characterised the implementation of municipal by-laws pertaining to urban farming.
"Council has been inconsistent but next season we will destroy the crops and it is the prerogative of the council and police," he said.
Mr Gwindi said those who would want to plough at their houses should do so at the back of their yards and not in front.
Council has over the years been warning people against practising urban agriculture with little success.
Some Harare residents were producing such crops as maize, groundnuts, sweet potatoes and pumpkins on open spaces in the capital.
Most families had continued to farm in the traditional open spaces, some of which were not suitable for the activity as they were situated close to sewer pipes.
Stream bank cultivation, which was also prohibited under municipal by-laws as a measure to curb siltation, was also being practised.
In January, following the increased urban farming activities in Harare, Environment Africa, in partnership with the city council and Birdlife Zimbabwe, warned residents against continued agricultural activities on wetlands, saying it was likely to result in dams recording lower levels of water during the dry season.
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