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Operation
Taguta/Sisuthi - Command Agriculture in Zimbabwe: its impact on
rural communities in Matabeleland
Solidarity Peace Trust
April 2006
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Summary:
Context of Findings and their implications1
Command agriculture has to be contextualised
against a background of the collapse of agriculture since 2000,
and of epidemic corruption and inefficiency not only in this sector,
but throughout the government policies in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe has
faced a food deficit for several consecutive years, and the need
to regain credibility for the land invasions, as well as fears of
food riots, and the desire to be less dependent on international
aid for reasons of national pride and sovereignty, all provide partial
motives for Command Agriculture.
Zimbabwe is
becoming increasingly militarised as a State, and the disastrous
"Operation Murambatsvina" and "Operation Garikai"
were both undertaken with the collaboration of the army. The army
oversaw "Garikai" and soldiers were among the beneficiaries
of the few houses built nationwide under the latter scheme, which
has become part of the patronage system in Zimbabwe instead of providing
housing for the displaced.
The army has
been in control of food distribution for several years now,
via control of Grain Marketing Board sales, the only source of affordable
maize in rural areas.
Placing the
army increasingly in control of food production via "Operation
Taguta/Sisuthi" is the next logical step for government in
the militarization of the State, and is a furtherance of the patronage
of the army.
Giving the army
effective control over large aspects of agriculture is keeping soldiers
who might otherwise get bored and angry at their poor conditions,
active and fed.
Command Agriculture
has to be seen in the context of a now-established pattern of political
abuse of maize, particularly in rural areas, through abuse of GMB
sales. Maize has been consistently withheld from those perceived
not to support the government over the last four years.
The pattern
of behaviour shown by soldiers at irrigation schemes as summarised
in the findings, is in keeping with this established pattern of
manipulation of maize. Plot holders now have to beg for the very
maize they themselves have laboured to grow, and soldiers have the
power to say yes or no.
The destruction
of productive market gardens can be viewed as part of the pattern
of abuse of communities by government. The destruction of the economic
base of these communities is either an act of unbelievable stupidity,
or furtherance of a policy aimed at impoverishing rural communities
as a means of controlling them.
The usurping
of the early irrigation harvests could be an indication of the government
intending to ensure that maize ends up in urban rather than rural
areas: in urban areas there is a danger of riots if people are hungry,
while in rural areas, hunger makes people compliant.
Deploying the
army under the guise of Command Agriculture means that army units
are now embedded deep in rural areas. This is effectively closing
democratic space and will have a repressive impact during Rural
District Council Elections due in September. It is likely that the
army will stay in place and increase in numbers in rural areas,
under the justification of Operation Taguta, from now until parliamentary
and/or presidential elections.
Outcome of Command Agriculture
Command Agriculture has been a failure in the 2005/6 season in relation
to improving maize production at rural irrigation schemes in Matabeleland.
It has undermined such production, and has had an extremely negative
effect on the community at large.
In terms of
destroying self-sufficiency in rural populations and creating vulnerability
through dependency on government as the only source of food, Command
Agriculture is likely to prove a resounding "success".
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1. The assertions
made here are developed in more depth in the main body of the report.
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