Small-scale farmer stands up against exploitation

The cotton market in 2010 was at the beginning (April) characterised by poor prices and getting break even prices was next to impossible for small scale farmers like Mr. Kakunguwo who is a subsistence farmer.  Mr. Kakunguwo says he planted three hectares of cotton in the 2009 -2010 agricultural farming season. He harvested 3 tonnes of cotton.  When the cotton market opened in April 2010, prices were around US $0.30 per kilogramme of cotton. Kakunguwo together with other members of his Investment Group (IG) withheld their crop to press for better prices. 

AAI Zimbabwe partner in Mount Darwin i.e. Farmers’ Association of Community Self Help Investment Groups (FACHIG) facilitated the formation of Investments Groups (IGs) programme in 1999 where farmers came together as groups to venture into various income generating activities. The IGs also promote members to speak with one voice when they lobby for issues affecting them. There are a total of 1035 IGs comprising an average of 10 members for each group in FACHIG operational districts of Mt Darwin, Rushinga, Muzarabani and Guruve. A total of 7635 women and 3088 men are members of the IGs in the FACHIG operational districts.

In Mount Darwin, 750 cotton farmers (500 women and 250 men) out of a total of 3 426 farmers managed to sale their crop at $0.50/kg or more in the 2010 marketing season. About, 8,000 farmers out of 20,000 cotton farmers nationally sold their crops sold at more than US$0.50/kg in the 2010 marketing season.

“For the first time in many years of growing cotton, I managed to buy two head of cattle after selling my cotton,” says Mr. Kakunguwo, who could visibly show his happiness.   He says he was particularly happy that as a small-scale farmer, together with other members of his IG, he influenced the cotton marketing industry to change the prices favourably for the farmers.  Mr. Kakunguwo now has four head of cattle.

 “I no longer hire draught power as I now have more cattle and I have more food on the table for my family,” says Mr. Kakunguwo, adding that he would buy more cattle in the 2011 marketing year, provided prices were good.

According to him, he expects an increased harvest of 4,000 tonnes in the 2010-2011 farming season and expects to earn not less than, US$2000, up from US$1290 realised from the sale of the crop in the 2010 marketing season. 

  Mr. Kakunguwo attributes his ability to understand market issues to FACHIG trainings on business and negotiation skills availed to him and other farmers in his IG. He says over the years, cotton companies offered low prices at the beginning of the selling season and most of the small-scale farmers from his area including him sold crops early because they needed the money.

 “Sometimes prices went up after we had sold and this did not benefit us. I have learnt from the FACHIG trainings that I can withhold my crop when I do not want the price,” says Mr. Kakunguwo.

FACHIG has trained 241 members (172 female and 69 male) in various skills including leadership skills, lobby and advocacy, financial skills market access, business and negotiation skills from its operational districts. The trained members cascaded the training to 10,723 members.  Other trainings on specific crop husbandry benefitted 172 women and 65 men from the FACHIG operational districts.