Receive Nyamutamba
Zimbabwe boasts of itself being an agro-based economy. The 2020-21 agricultural season’s bountiful harvests has been the main talk on national television with Command Agriculture and Pfumvudza/Intwasa initiatives being the main protagonists in the story. Resultantly, the Grain Marketing Board has been at the telescreen bragging about high tonnage of grain having been received and millions of dollars having been paid out to farmers. That however remains a mystery as most farmers claim not having received their payments for grain deliveries of April up to now (story for another day).
In light of the supposed ‘success’, one would expect that, the main labor force in the agricultural sector, that is, farm workers will be living the life of their dreams. However, on the contrary, farm workers irrespective of their indispensable contribution to the economy, have remained at the rock bottom of financial deprivation. In November 2021, ZimStats revealed that the Total Consumption Poverty Line for an individual in Mashonaland Central Province (this report is based on findings in Mashonaland central province) is ZW $8,486.26. According to a research done, the least paid worker on some farms in Mazowe District (names of farms withheld) is receiving ZW$7000. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), the average household size in Zimbabwe is 4.2. which implies that, if one member is working in that household, the above salary becomes inadequate to meet the basic needs. Therefore, one can conclude that, most farm workers are living in abject poverty. The irony is just astonishing and embarrassing: main producers of food are themselves food-poor.
Far worse off situations have been reported in some areas of Mazowe District where some plot holders are exploiting their workers by forcing them to work only for accommodation. Due to fear of eviction, the workers are compelled to oblige. One person who refused to be named, revealed that, there is no clear schedule for when and the hours that one should be working. Therefore, one can be called anytime of the day to go to the field. In a household, both the husband and wife are compelled to work which leaves one wondering where and how these poor farmers earn disposable income for essentials such as food, clothes or school fees for their children. According to one respondent, it is hard for them to have other livelihoods due to the opportunity cost resulting from compelled labor. However, whenever they find a small window, they seek for casual on-farm work and illegal gold panning opportunities.
According to NEC (National Employment Council for the Agricultural Industry in Zimbabwe), the minimum wage for farm workers is ZW $6,469. It is astonishing and shameful to see a whole conglomeration of organizations and unions nodding their heads in consenting to slavery and oppression of the ordinary citizen.
In view of this, it is no doubt we have a new form of slavery on the block where the slave masters are no longer the Western nations but fellow black people with guns in their hands, a symbol of political and military power. In such times of peril, one can hear the lamenting voices of farm workers echoing from afar, calling out for labor unions to fight for them. One may say why cannot they stand for themselves? But there is need to understand that, in certain spaces, freedom of speech does not imply freedom after speech. Therefore, this serves as a call to labor unions and activists out there to lend a hand for our heroes, the farm workers to be accorded decent wages and working conditions. In Shona there is a proverb that says, ‘kusatenda huroyi’ (ingratitude is a sign of witchcraft). Hence this is a call to farm owners to repent and stop this degree of witchcraft against their fellow men.
Socio-economic Justice Advocate
ActivistaZW Member
Cell: +263 776 551 594
Email: rn***********@gm***.com
