The land boundary conflict between a local Chisumbanje investor Green Fuel and surrounding communities has taken a new twist with local farmers and stakeholders resolving to approach government the ethanol company to consider the out grower model that allows well known successful farmers to also grow sugarcane as compensation for their lost land.
By Artwell Sithole
Platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp groups belonging to residents of Chipinge have been inundated with calls for Green Fuel owner Billy Rautenbach to do more for the community which continued to lose land to the project.
Speaking during a virtual meeting organised by Platform for Youth and Community Development, Jerry Moyana of Chinyamukwakwa challenged Green Fuel to give local farmers an opportunity to be sugarcane out growers and stop grabbing their land with no remedy for the community.
“I am a cotton farmer in Chinyamukwakwa who has so far packed 256 bales of cotton. I have finished picking my cotton and I expect more than 350 bales after picking all my fields. My fear now is Green Fuel company which has started ploughing down our ripe cotton. I am a successful farmer, who can be a sugarcane outgrower if given the opportunity. The company must stop this harassment and empower us as outgrowers,” said Moyana.
He added that the ploughing down of their crops was against the presidential input scheme, which capacitated subsistent farmers with inputs.
Memory Zvinongoza who is also a cotton farmer in Chinyamukwakwa echoed the same sentiments and went on to urge Green Fuel to adopt the model used by Parrogate Cotton Company, an Indian run business involved in buying and ginning cotton at Checheche Growth point.
“Parrogate came here more than two decades ago, it didn’t invade our fields, and instead it empowered us to be cotton farmers. We expected Billy Rautenbauch to adopt and implement such a model and stop this nonsense of grabbing our land.”
“This approach by Green Fuel where we are disempowered and reduced to beggars is unacceptable” said Zvinongoza.
PYCD Director, Claris Madhuku expressed worry over Green Fuel’s approach and disregard for the community voices.
He questioned Green Fuel for taking villagers for granted as if its operations were above the law.
‘’ We have resorted to litigation due to the fact that the platforms for dialogue and engagement are infested and prescribed by the business interests of Green Fuel at the disadvantage of the local community.
“The cabinet of Zimbabwe as well as Parliamentary portfolio committees have visited Chisumbanje and Chinyamukwakwa and produced reports with recommendations for villagers to be out growers but the company has ignored this with no consequence,” said Madhuku.
Madhuku went on to blame government for allowing a private company to be powerful against the native Zimbabweans who are looking up to their government for protection.
