For some years now Zimbabwean farmers have been failing to produce adequate maize to feed the nation, forcing the country to import. This is despite providing cheap inputs on credit to farmers for many years. It is high time that we look closely at previously implemented support schemes and see where we went wrong. A close look will show that previous schemes failed because of problems to do with the farmers themselves, Government and the effects of drought.
Our farmers are diluting the effectiveness of support schemes by misusing inputs loaned to them. For example when farmers receive inputs for one hectare they spread the fertiliser over a larger area of up to three hectares.
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