The commercial farming community is lamenting predictions of yet another failed agricultural season, as the countrywide wave of farm attacks continues.

The US based Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWSNET) has warned that food stocks will be depleted this month, mainly in western Zimbabwe, where some two million people are set to face hunger. FEWSNET issued a special report this month saying the availability of food in Zimbabwe could diminish sharply from October to December, with only a maximum of 1.4 million metric tonnes of cereals available during those months, compared with the more than 2 million tonnes needed to meet Zimbabwe's basic food needs.

The worrying assessment comes as commercials farmers themselves have warned that a failed farming season is on the cards, as a direct result of the renewed offensive to drive farmers from their land. Since the formation of the unity government in February there has been an intensified wave of attacks on commercial land owners, by thugs working for top ZANU PF loyalists, all in the name of land 'reform'. Farmers and their workers have been physically and brutally attacked, valuable produce and equipment has been stolen, and the fast-track prosecution of farmers in the country's courts has been encouraged. This year alone, more than 80 farms have been seized, at least 200 farmers have faced prosecution and thousands of farm workers have lost their jobs.

Deon Theron, the President of the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU), told SW Radio Africa that the country is "on a knife edge and facing a very difficult failed season of crops." He voiced his frustration that commercial farming is being deliberately halted, despite the desperate need for food in a country that has been rated as the most food-aid dependent country in the world. At the same time, Chegutu farmer Ben Freeth, who has endured some of the worst violence and intimidation on his land, told SWRA that the country is heading for "the very worst agricultural season ever."

All in all more than 6 000 farms, totalling 10.8-million hectares, have been seized by the state since the land 'reform' programme got underway in 2000. Most of these farms were 'awarded' to Robert Mugabe's family and comrades, many of whom now 'own' multiple farms. Once the pride of sub-Saharan Africa, Zimbabwe's farming sector has shrunk alarmingly. In 2000 Zimbabwe produced two million tons of maize, but this was down to 450 000 tons last year. Tobacco production has plummeted from 244 000 tons to 40 000 tons. The number of commercial farmers has shrunk radically from 4 500 in 2000 to 400.

But despite these numbers that provide proof of Zimbabwe's economic destruction, by way of land 'reform', the land grab campaign has intensified, to satisfy what even the MDC has called the 'greed' of ZANU PF 'bigwigs'. SWRA Correspondent Simon Muchemwa, who this week toured farms to see for himself the extent of the fresh wave of farm attacks, said on Thursday the situation resembled a 'disaster'.

"There is an obvious intensified effort by ZANU PF youths and ZANU PF officials and the police to grab what productive land they can," Muchemwa said, explaining the use of fake offer letters has become rampant, particularly in Mashonaland. He explained further that the majority of farms he visited are lying untended and barren.

"Farmers are predicting a huge agricultural loss, because when the rains come, the land won't be ready," Muchmwa said. "Their (the farmers) attitude is to wait and see what will happen during the rains."