Raising a crop of farmers
In the wake of the launch of Zimbabwe’s land-reform programmes and the subsequent deterioration of the formal farming industry, contract farming has emerged as a significant economic activity. It offers communal farmers the opportunity to sell their produce to agribusinesses at predetermined terms and prices. The concept has gradually taken off to provide a degree of stability in crop production that might otherwise have collapsed. Research conducted at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB) investigated contract farming in Zimbabwe and came up with suggestions for improving the system. The study found that contract farming enjoys substantial acceptance and support from its key participants: smallholder farmers, agribusiness, and the Zimbabwean government.