BY DR TONY MONDA
Chibage, Maize is the staple diet of the majority of Zimbabwe’s population.
Although the history of maize growing has for long been inextricably linked with the arrival of white settlers in the 1890s, a native low-yielding flinty of type hardy maize was grown by the indigenous population of Zimbabwe, prior to the arrival of white settlers. In actual fact, the first white farmers obtained their initial maize seed from the indigenous people.
Maize is part of our intangible culture and is well establish in our folklore, traditions, language, knowledge systems, and natural heritage. Various indigenous strains of maize existed dating back to 5600 BC.
The white maize strain is the country’s most important food crop; its production is undertaken by all categories of farmers, with large and small scale commercial farmers producing principally for sale to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), for human consumption and stock feed purposes.
Up until 1903, all the maize produced in the country, which averaged about 50 000 bags per annum, was consumed on the domestic market. During that same year, the department of agriculture was established and the first issue of the Southern Rhodesian Agriculture journal was published.
Experimental maize stations were founded and maize production for export became a viable alternative. However, it was not until 1909 that substantial quantities of maize were exported, mainly as a result of the efforts of the Farmers Co-operative Society, which was formed that year.
The system of grading maize was first introduced in 1913 and expanded thereafter. The Maize Association was formed soon after the end of the First World War – (1914-1918).
A survey of growers in 1921 showed that the season’s crop of 1,2million bags of maize was produced by 964 farmers – giving an average of 1 200 bags per farmer.
In 1932, a maize-hybridization programme was initiated at the Salisbury Research Station of Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), which began when 22 in-bred varieties were isolated from locally-adapted open pollinated varieties such as Richory King, Southern Cross and Salisbury White. This was followed by many single crosses and double crosses amongst the inbred maize varieties prior to being tested and released for commercial production.
By the mid 1980s the Crop Breeding Institute in the Department of Specialist Services had developed eight maize hybrids that were made available for commercial maize production; these were late maturing varieties – SR52, R213, R90 and ZS107; and early maturing varieties namely R215, R201, R200 and ZS225.
In addition to these hybrids, several other experimental crossbreeds had since been tested, such as the medium maturing variety ZS227, the early maturing variety ZS202, and a late maturing variety – ZS206. All these various varieties of maize seeds went through several planting trials in order to make them suitable to the climatic and soil conditions in Zimbabwe. Between 1949 and 1950, 22% of the total maize growing area was planted to SR1 maize variety, which proved a successful hybrid.
Maize
Exports and unit values for maize exports 1985-2000 (annual average, US$)
| 1985-89 | 1990-94 | 1995-2000 | |||
| (A) | (B) | (C) | (A) to (B) | (B) to (C) | |
| Value (US$ thousand) | 43 532 | 56 688 | 33 595 | 30.22 | 40.74 |
| Quantity (thousand tonnes) | 323 637 | 436 854 | 270 842 | 34.98 | -38.0 |
| Unit value (US$/tonne) | 134.5 | 129.8 | 124.0 | -3.53 | -4.41 |
Source: FAOSTAT.
In 1931, as a result of falling world prices for maize and other crops, many growers were threatened with bankruptcy. This led to the establishment of the Maize Control Board In 1934, which compelled all growers to sell their crops to the board at prices “ . . . equivalent to the amount of the gross export realisation price, less the costs of administration and operating expenses”.
COLONIAL MONOPOLISATION OF MAIZE
The establishment of the Maize Control Board later led to the Maize Control Act (1940), which was replaced by the Grain Act in 1950. The Grain Act effectively limited the capacity under which indigenous farmers could compete with whites in the production of our most staple indigenous food –Maize!
This was notwithstanding that until the land reform, dualism agriculture characterised Zimbabwe’s agro-industry, based on the size of landholdings. Here, approximately 4 000 large-scale white farmers with sophisticated production systems occupied approximately 11 million hectares of land, primarily located in the areas of high agricultural and economic potential.
The larger, less sophisticated and mechanised group, of approximately 7.1 million communal and smallholder farmers at that time occupied a total of 21 million hectares of land of lower natural potential in terms of rainfall, soils and water for irrigation. In addition, mainly due to distances from markets, poor communication and social infrastructure these areas were rendered of lower economic potential.
Settler’s further monopolised maize production, which is part of our indigenous agrarian heritage, by apportioning arable and unarable land through the Land Apportionment Act of 1930, which divided the land for commercial and subsistence farming respectively, by which further disfranchising African subsistence farmers of their land, sustainable crop production, and thus disempowering African agriculture completely.
The Second World War caused further disruptions to the farming industry, and coupled with incorrect pricing policies, led to mixed production results during the 1940s. Hence the Maize Control Act of 1940 was replaced in 1950 by the Grain Marketing Act, which reinforced the principle of fixed government prices, not only for maize, but also for maize meal, beans, rapoko, sorghum, mhunga, and other grains. It also required that all growers of these crops registered as producers with the Maize Control Board.
In 1952, the Maize Control Board became the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) that we know today. The sole authority for marketing outside the subsistence economy, of all the products controlled in terms of the Grain Marketing Act.
Both natural and artificial maize drying methods are in use; however, the majority of indigenous farmers usually dry maize in natural conditions, as has been a long-practiced tradition, due to Zimbabwe’s favourable climatic conditions. Storing shelled maize in bags is a traditional method of storing this commodity. Such storage, however, requires that the maize be dry below 13, 5% moisture content.
Furthermore, the ability to store maize on-the-cob allowed maize to be reaped early in order to clear land for planting winter crops or other uses.
Given this background, it is absolutely imperative that we re-claim our agrarian heritage and create food security for the majority of Zimbabwe’s population. Our children should know and understand that the ubiquitous maize cob, Chibage/Chibarwe, that we take for granted is part of an intriguing historical heritage and a journey to knowing ourselves.
Under the new Command Agricultural policy, Zimbabwean agronomists need to continue to use science to develop new and better strains of maize seeds that can withstand the vagaries of changing weather conditions; be they El Niño, El Nina, climate warming or any other man-induced climatic disturbance.
Below is a table highlighting maize production and exports up to the year 2000, from the FAO statistics.
Maize
Exports and unit values for maize exports 1985-2000 (annual average, US$)
| 1985-89 | 1990-94 | 1995-2000 | |||
| (A) | (B) | (C) | (A) to (B) | (B) to (C) | |
| Value (US$ thousand) | 43 532 | 56 688 | 33 595 | 30.22 | 40.74 |
| Quantity (thousand tonnes) | 323 637 | 436 854 | 270 842 | 34.98 | -38.0 |
| Unit value (US$/tonne) | 134.5 | 129.8 | 124.0 | -3.53 | -4.41 |
Source: FAOSTAT.
Dr. Tony Monda holds a PhD. in Art Theory and Philosophy and a DBA (Doctorate in Business Administration) and Post-Colonial Heritage Studies. He is a writer, lecturer, musician, art critic, practicing artist and Corporate Image Consultant. He is also a specialist Art Consultant, Post-Colonial Scholar, Zimbabwean Socio-Economic analyst and researcher. E-mail: tonym.MONDA@gmail.com
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