Challenges and Prospects of Zimbabwe’s Command Farming in Unlocking the Country’s Smallholder Agricultural Economy

Chisango Future Fortune Tichakunda

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13

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Challenges and Prospects of Zimbabwe’s Command Farming in Unlocking the Country’s Smallholder Agricultural Economy

Chisango Future Fortune Tichakunda

Received: 31 May 2018 Accepted: 7 July 2018 Published: 31 July 2018

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Abstract

The study sought to establish and analyze the challenges and prospects of Zimbabwe’s command farming in unlocking the country’s smallholder agricultural economy with particular reference to smallholder rural and A1 resettlement farmers in Bindura district of Zimbabwe. The main objective central to the study was; to examine challenges and prospects of the command farming initiative as a way of advancing the country’s agricultural sector, in an endeavor to curb poverty and food insecurity among the marginalized farming communities. To achieve this, a descriptive study design was used to select a sample of one hundred (100) participants who included ordinary grain producers, village heads, agricultural extension officers, and heads of government departments. A purposive or judgmental sampling technique was employed to select respondents for the study. To solicit for the relevant information unstructured interviews, key informant interviews and secondary sources of data were used. The generated data was finally subjected to descriptive statistics where frequency counts, means and percentages were employed, to make conclusive deductions from the findings. It was established that instead of being a panacea to food security quagmires bedeviling communities, Zimbabwe’s command agriculture is faced with numerous challenges due to disparity in the perceived outcomes of the new program by the farming community and the authoritarian implementers. This has resulted in a stalemate, which can only be solved by considering the initiative as a collective issue where communities and other stakeholders play a pivotal role for the attainment of the desired outcomes. It is critical that the government can only get the agricultural economy fixed through robust integration of all stakeholders and resource poor farmers at grassroots in important decision making structures.

DOI	10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13
Published in	International Journal of Agricultural Economics (Volume 3, Issue 4, July 2018)
Page(s)	76-82
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Challenges, Prospects, Command Farming, Agricultural Economy, And Free Marketing Systems

References

[1]	Chandiposha et al, (2013). Source: The command agriculture exposé in full – The Standard July 2, 2017.
[2]	Chisango, (2017). Impact of Zimbabwe's Current Maize Marketing Systems under a Command Economy on Grain Productivity by the Smallholder Sector; A Case of Some Selected Farms in Bindura District; Mashonaland Central Province International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2015): 78. 96 \| Impact Factor (2015): 6. 391.
[3]	Chishamba and Mangudhla, (2017). The Standard July 2, 2017the zimbabwe commercial farmers union.
[4]	Chisoko G and Zharare H, (2017). Demystifying command agriculture herald. co. zw 5 January 2017.
[5]	Food and Agriculture Organization, (2007). Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission in Zimbabwe; Special Report, Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Program.
[6]	(Moyo S, (2004). Conference on 'The Agrarian Constraint and Poverty Reduction: Macroeconomic Lessons for Africa', Addis Ababa, 17-18 December, 2004. This work-in-progress paper was presented at the conference: Comments on the paper can be sent to the author at: sammoyo@ecoweb.co.zw.
[7]	Muchara B, (2009). Implications of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme on Markets and Market Relationships for Livestock, Cotton and Maize in Mwenezi District of Zimbabwe”, Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, University of Fort Hare (mimeo).
[8]	Obi A and Chisango FFT, (2011). Performance of Smallholder Agriculture Under Limited Mechanization and the Fast Track Land Reform Program in Zimbabwe International Food and Agribusiness Management Review Volume 14, Issue 4, 2011.
[9]	Pfukwa G, (2016), Command Agriculture offers fresh challenges. Https://www.pindula.co.zw/Command_Agriculture_2016
[10]	United Nations UN, (2006). Comprehensive Agricultural Policy Framework (2012-2032) Executive Summary April 2012.
[11]	https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news)

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Chisango Future Fortune Tichakunda. (2018). Challenges and Prospects of Zimbabwe’s Command Farming in Unlocking the Country’s Smallholder Agricultural Economy. International Journal of Agricultural Economics, 3(4), 76-82. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13

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Chisango Future Fortune Tichakunda. Challenges and Prospects of Zimbabwe’s Command Farming in Unlocking the Country’s Smallholder Agricultural Economy. Int. J. Agric. Econ. 2018, 3(4), 76-82. doi: 10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13

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AMA Style

Chisango Future Fortune Tichakunda. Challenges and Prospects of Zimbabwe’s Command Farming in Unlocking the Country’s Smallholder Agricultural Economy. Int J Agric Econ. 2018;3(4):76-82. doi: 10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13,
  author = {Chisango Future Fortune Tichakunda},
  title = {Challenges and Prospects of Zimbabwe’s Command Farming in Unlocking the Country’s Smallholder Agricultural Economy},
  journal = {International Journal of Agricultural Economics},
  volume = {3},
  number = {4},
  pages = {76-82},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijae.20180304.13},
  abstract = {The study sought to establish and analyze the challenges and prospects of Zimbabwe’s command farming in unlocking the country’s smallholder agricultural economy with particular reference to smallholder rural and A1 resettlement farmers in Bindura district of Zimbabwe. The main objective central to the study was; to examine challenges and prospects of the command farming initiative as a way of advancing the country’s agricultural sector, in an endeavor to curb poverty and food insecurity among the marginalized farming communities. To achieve this, a descriptive study design was used to select a sample of one hundred (100) participants who included ordinary grain producers, village heads, agricultural extension officers, and heads of government departments. A purposive or judgmental sampling technique was employed to select respondents for the study. To solicit for the relevant information unstructured interviews, key informant interviews and secondary sources of data were used. The generated data was finally subjected to descriptive statistics where frequency counts, means and percentages were employed, to make conclusive deductions from the findings. It was established that instead of being a panacea to food security quagmires bedeviling communities, Zimbabwe’s command agriculture is faced with numerous challenges due to disparity in the perceived outcomes of the new program by the farming community and the authoritarian implementers. This has resulted in a stalemate, which can only be solved by considering the initiative as a collective issue where communities and other stakeholders play a pivotal role for the attainment of the desired outcomes. It is critical that the government can only get the agricultural economy fixed through robust integration of all stakeholders and resource poor farmers at grassroots in important decision making structures.},
 year = {2018}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Challenges and Prospects of Zimbabwe’s Command Farming in Unlocking the Country’s Smallholder Agricultural Economy
AU  - Chisango Future Fortune Tichakunda
Y1  - 2018/07/31
PY  - 2018
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13
T2  - International Journal of Agricultural Economics
JF  - International Journal of Agricultural Economics
JO  - International Journal of Agricultural Economics
SP  - 76
EP  - 82
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-3843
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13
AB  - The study sought to establish and analyze the challenges and prospects of Zimbabwe’s command farming in unlocking the country’s smallholder agricultural economy with particular reference to smallholder rural and A1 resettlement farmers in Bindura district of Zimbabwe. The main objective central to the study was; to examine challenges and prospects of the command farming initiative as a way of advancing the country’s agricultural sector, in an endeavor to curb poverty and food insecurity among the marginalized farming communities. To achieve this, a descriptive study design was used to select a sample of one hundred (100) participants who included ordinary grain producers, village heads, agricultural extension officers, and heads of government departments. A purposive or judgmental sampling technique was employed to select respondents for the study. To solicit for the relevant information unstructured interviews, key informant interviews and secondary sources of data were used. The generated data was finally subjected to descriptive statistics where frequency counts, means and percentages were employed, to make conclusive deductions from the findings. It was established that instead of being a panacea to food security quagmires bedeviling communities, Zimbabwe’s command agriculture is faced with numerous challenges due to disparity in the perceived outcomes of the new program by the farming community and the authoritarian implementers. This has resulted in a stalemate, which can only be solved by considering the initiative as a collective issue where communities and other stakeholders play a pivotal role for the attainment of the desired outcomes. It is critical that the government can only get the agricultural economy fixed through robust integration of all stakeholders and resource poor farmers at grassroots in important decision making structures.
VL  - 3
IS  - 4
ER  -

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Author Information

Chisango Future Fortune Tichakunda

Faculty of Agriculture, Zimbabwe Open University, Harare, Zimbabwe

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Chisango Future Fortune Tichakunda. (2018). Challenges and Prospects of Zimbabwe’s Command Farming in Unlocking the Country’s Smallholder Agricultural Economy. International Journal of Agricultural Economics, 3(4), 76-82. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13

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ACS Style

Chisango Future Fortune Tichakunda. Challenges and Prospects of Zimbabwe’s Command Farming in Unlocking the Country’s Smallholder Agricultural Economy. Int. J. Agric. Econ. 2018, 3(4), 76-82. doi: 10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13

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AMA Style

Chisango Future Fortune Tichakunda. Challenges and Prospects of Zimbabwe’s Command Farming in Unlocking the Country’s Smallholder Agricultural Economy. Int J Agric Econ. 2018;3(4):76-82. doi: 10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13

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@article{10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13,
  author = {Chisango Future Fortune Tichakunda},
  title = {Challenges and Prospects of Zimbabwe’s Command Farming in Unlocking the Country’s Smallholder Agricultural Economy},
  journal = {International Journal of Agricultural Economics},
  volume = {3},
  number = {4},
  pages = {76-82},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijae.20180304.13},
  abstract = {The study sought to establish and analyze the challenges and prospects of Zimbabwe’s command farming in unlocking the country’s smallholder agricultural economy with particular reference to smallholder rural and A1 resettlement farmers in Bindura district of Zimbabwe. The main objective central to the study was; to examine challenges and prospects of the command farming initiative as a way of advancing the country’s agricultural sector, in an endeavor to curb poverty and food insecurity among the marginalized farming communities. To achieve this, a descriptive study design was used to select a sample of one hundred (100) participants who included ordinary grain producers, village heads, agricultural extension officers, and heads of government departments. A purposive or judgmental sampling technique was employed to select respondents for the study. To solicit for the relevant information unstructured interviews, key informant interviews and secondary sources of data were used. The generated data was finally subjected to descriptive statistics where frequency counts, means and percentages were employed, to make conclusive deductions from the findings. It was established that instead of being a panacea to food security quagmires bedeviling communities, Zimbabwe’s command agriculture is faced with numerous challenges due to disparity in the perceived outcomes of the new program by the farming community and the authoritarian implementers. This has resulted in a stalemate, which can only be solved by considering the initiative as a collective issue where communities and other stakeholders play a pivotal role for the attainment of the desired outcomes. It is critical that the government can only get the agricultural economy fixed through robust integration of all stakeholders and resource poor farmers at grassroots in important decision making structures.},
 year = {2018}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Challenges and Prospects of Zimbabwe’s Command Farming in Unlocking the Country’s Smallholder Agricultural Economy
AU  - Chisango Future Fortune Tichakunda
Y1  - 2018/07/31
PY  - 2018
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13
T2  - International Journal of Agricultural Economics
JF  - International Journal of Agricultural Economics
JO  - International Journal of Agricultural Economics
SP  - 76
EP  - 82
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2575-3843
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20180304.13
AB  - The study sought to establish and analyze the challenges and prospects of Zimbabwe’s command farming in unlocking the country’s smallholder agricultural economy with particular reference to smallholder rural and A1 resettlement farmers in Bindura district of Zimbabwe. The main objective central to the study was; to examine challenges and prospects of the command farming initiative as a way of advancing the country’s agricultural sector, in an endeavor to curb poverty and food insecurity among the marginalized farming communities. To achieve this, a descriptive study design was used to select a sample of one hundred (100) participants who included ordinary grain producers, village heads, agricultural extension officers, and heads of government departments. A purposive or judgmental sampling technique was employed to select respondents for the study. To solicit for the relevant information unstructured interviews, key informant interviews and secondary sources of data were used. The generated data was finally subjected to descriptive statistics where frequency counts, means and percentages were employed, to make conclusive deductions from the findings. It was established that instead of being a panacea to food security quagmires bedeviling communities, Zimbabwe’s command agriculture is faced with numerous challenges due to disparity in the perceived outcomes of the new program by the farming community and the authoritarian implementers. This has resulted in a stalemate, which can only be solved by considering the initiative as a collective issue where communities and other stakeholders play a pivotal role for the attainment of the desired outcomes. It is critical that the government can only get the agricultural economy fixed through robust integration of all stakeholders and resource poor farmers at grassroots in important decision making structures.
VL  - 3
IS  - 4
ER  -

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