Reminisces and Commercial Farmers Union (CFU). Invited to Participate in New Blackfordby and Notice of Further Stomach Cancer Surgery.

The student accommodation at the new Blackfordby.

As always, when I touch on the compensation issue for the farmers who got their farms confiscated in Zimbabwe in my blog, I always get positive and negative input, which, luckily, is generally more positive than negative. The negative ones nearly always respond by e-mail or private text rather than open correspondence. I presume they do not want their opinions or their position against mine in public or

are just being good-mannered in telling me the error of my ways or rather, my thinking. Mostly from friends, they are always the most subjective. After all we are allowed to air differing opinions and remain friends. All of us are possibly getting a bit sick of public arguments; as we know, they are rarely productive, rather destructive. 

I have no problem seeing desperate farmers being paid for their improvements to survive; after all, it is the country’s own laws to do so. I just do not like the payment being made in worthless paper, which will depreciate much faster than the offered interest rate, and the fact that the government wants to pay it under the umbrella of the legally defunct Global Compensation Deed (GCD) enough said. They even stopped the interim payments under the excuse of the GCD. I will be answering my critics by email. I should mention one of them I would class as a very close friend, while I was surprised I did not get a denial of what I reported as having been attributed to a PROFCA board member. 

When writing about the restructuring of the CFU a couple of weeks ago and remembering the positions held by individuals as chairmen or chief executives, many memories were brought back about my personal relationship with some. Luckily, the CFU had a wonderful professional team which has now dispersed worldwide. Sadly many of them are late, including the director, David Hasluck and his deputy Jerry Grant with those remaining alive who were at the time still in their forties or younger making my memories of men and women in their prime. 

One incident that comes to mind concerning a member of staff at the CFU which happened well before I joined the CFU, in fact, way back in my army days. Barry Fisher, the Commercial Cotton Producer Association chief executive, was our company commander on a call-up, if I recall correctly, in early 1979, at Rushinga. An area I had spent many a call-up in the army since 1973. This was at a time just before I moved to the Police Anti-Terrorist Unit (PATU), probably my last call-up in the army. We were no longer a wholly white unit with about fifty percent of our number in our company black by then. A clear indication that many whites had left the country and the war was probably lost, not in battle but by attrition. It was hard to build a career when you have spent more time in the bush than in civilian life. Young men were leaving in droves, every call-up familiar faces would be missing. We had just learned that we would have a unity government with Muzerwero joining Ian Smith at the helm following an election set for May of that year, and further the country would be called Zimbabwe Rhodesia. It should be said not all the troopies were happy with this.

“History has proven compromises in politics rarely work. Unity governments are either destroyed from within or from those left out. Mugabe was skilled at convincing any strong opposition to join him where he would very unsubtly destroy them. Will the same happen in South Africa with the ANC’s offer? I fear so.”- Peter McSporran

Back to Rushinga. As it was nearing the end of our stint (call-up) and the name and flag of the country were about to be changed, I thought it was a good idea to take the Rhodesian flag flying over the police post as a souvenir. All went well, until, unfortunately, a sharp-eyed police constable saw and challenged me. I used my rank of sergeant in the army to verbally subdue him and returned to the army base thinking the mission was accomplished. I had secured a memento for my bar at home. Not so as the next day, Barry Fisher, my company commander, enquired if I had taken the flag from the police camp. I tried to convince him otherwise, which made him present his evidence. The police member in charge had informed him a constable had reported, “That an army sergeant with a funny accent had stolen their flag.”  Never trust a policeman. I then argued the case to keep it as it would be useless in the future. He reprimanded me with a smile on his face, saying I was showing a lack of good discipline as a sergeant, also he wanted to keep the peace with the police member in charge. A fruitless task as we the army often enough had differences with the police, more often than nought in regard to our behaviour on returning to the bright lights. Later, as the president of the CFU, I became Barry’s indirect boss as he was one of the Commodity Association's chief executives. How the wheels of time can turn things around. Barry was actually a good company commander, although perhaps too diffident to the police, and had become a good chief executive with whom I got on very well. Diligent and intelligent along with being an excellent beer drinker. 

I sometimes think I keep repeating myself in this blog, but as some who are unaware of events already written about or our farming history or politics within Zimbabwe, I find myself in this repetitive mode to try and ensure comprehension. I must admit, from some of the comments I receive, it appears at times I am more inclined to baffle than clarify. 

So, in repetition, when Anthony Swire-Thompson, as president, and myself, as vice took over our respective roles at the CFU it was the time of the demise of compulsory levies used to fund the CFU along with the introduction of free marketing. I am sure the Government was more than delighted with these changes in the Levy Act in its endeavours to undermine the influence of the CFU by hopefully starving it of funds. Luckily, by being proactive we never found ourselves short of cash except when we wanted to expand into new services or capital projects such as the proposed new dedicated offices. We were restructuring and looking for things to make us more relevant all the time. Within our second year, we had set up the commodity exchange ZIMACE and also improved our accessibility and services. Agricultural Research Trust Farm (ART Farm) was now a centre of excellence. Sure it was not a quick process, as mentioned previously but we were proactive. 

Another opportunity arose when the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association (ZTA) approached the CFU enquiring if we would be interested in getting involved with their college, which at present offered a one-year tobacco diploma along with many short courses mostly related to tobacco production but also covering general farming skills such as tractor driving, equipment maintenance, record keeping and irrigation. The ZTA, who represented the country's flue-cured tobacco producers in some services, was more proactive than most of the CFU commodities in offering services to its members. Tobacco was one of the biggest earners of foreign currency and was known as the ‘Golden Leaf’ not just because of its colour when cured but also its value. 

One of its main investments was the tobacco auction floor, Tobacco Sales Limited (TSL), a highly profitable enterprise, with it being the single outlet for all flue cured tobacco in the country at that time. Further, being the single market outlet controlled by them it made levy collection a doddle. The CFU, on the other hand as a representative of all farmers, was very much involved in dealing with the Government and its bodies and having to support farmers' organisations throughout the country right down to the grassroots. It should be remembered some of the major roles up to that time was negotiating wages, commodity prices, all controlled crops except tobacco, cattle slaughter prices and many of the inputs, including seed, which was a tripartite agreement between the CFU, Seed Co-op and Government. Lobbying in regard to taxes, legislation and import licences for foreign inputs. Dealing with bureaucrats and officials, from the Ministry of Energy and Water Affairs to the police and local councils was a daily task for the union or its representatives. If not directly involved, at least offer guidance to those representing us on various boards and community groups. Time was also spent on allocating foreign currency for capital and input items. Fertiliser; we were nearly self-sufficient, but most of our crop chemicals had to be imported, as did much of our veterinary requirements and most equipment spares. While direct exporters by this time could retain foreign currency, the majority who did not produce expert crops or livestock still had to rely on allocations. Mundane and time-consuming to deal with any bureaucracy, especially one that had no understanding of our business. 

The CFU was the farmer's conduit to the Government and therefore, political matters fell at its door while the ZTA could concentrate on the promotion of tobacco production from research to selling. They were more than happy not to get too involved in the political issues. In comparison to the CFU, they were a much wealthier organisation which over the years utilising its excess levies over expenses built up a strong business and property portfolio. The Vice President of the ZTA, at that time Peter Richards, sat as a non-voting member on the CFU Council and conversely I sat on the ZTA council, making each organisation aware of what was going on in their respective areas.

The ZTA had been much more proactive in three aspects in ensuring a successful and expanding agricultural industry. These were, co-funding Kutsaga Tobacco Research Station with the Government, a world-leading institute in tobacco research, education in its college, Blackfordby, offering a tobacco management diploma and numerous short tobacco production courses and finally, their unique Tenant Farmer Scheme. The latter ensured a conveyor belt of new young growers into their industry by financing tobacco managers with a proven track record to enable them to lease a property with a minimum set cash resource.  An amount achievable through the bonus system most farm managers worked under normally being based on a percentage of gross sales or net profit. Further, they supervised and monitored the scheme members until they were able to borrow directly from the banks. Up until independence, all agriculture relied very much on Government research, especially regarding grain and oilseed seed production along with extension. The tripartite agreement on maize seed fell away, and we now had to rely on commercial enterprises for our seed research and breeding, one of the leaders in this being the Seed Co-op. Yes, there were some training establishments offering day or maybe up to a week courses, such as the cattle one at Wensleydale in the Macheke area and the Cotton Training Institute in Gadoma. But nowhere to take over the role of the Gwebi College, the pre-independence premier farm management college. The CFU and its commodity associations now fully funded ART Farm allowing it and others from the private sector to carry out field research and variety testing. In recording this I am first to admit in all aspects of a single crop research establishment Kutsaga was a world leader although Seed Co-op, to shortly become Seed-Co, was climbing the ranks. Despite my new role at the CFU it was agreed I should remain on the board of the Seed Co-op but did resign as its vice chairman.

So, more and more, the CFU and the private sector were getting involved in these areas where vacuums were created in research and extension, due to the lack of Government funding along with the loss of expertise. Luckily, many of the professionals remained in Zimbabwe, some at the CFU, but more so in the private sector. Up until 1980, most budding Rhodesian farmers or farmers' young people would obtain a well-recognised diploma from Gwebi College, which, unfortunately, with independence also saw a dramatic fall in standards and changes in its curriculum. So, when the ZTA suggested that the CFU consider getting involved in expanding the one-year tobacco diploma to a two-year general agricultural management diploma, it was of great interest. Blackfordby was based at Odar and Stoneridge in Harare South then and was under pressure for urban development, so an opportune time to look at new options.

To this end, in 1993, I was invited to be the guest speaker at the Blackfordby Diploma Day no doubt to try and strengthen the relationship between the two organisations who from time to time did not always agree. Wealth brings envy, and despite many CFU presidents, like myself, being tobacco farmers, I would be foolish not to admit it existed. They had the wealth we had the political power so it was wise to work together despite our petty differences. As it was Peter Richards and myself working together became close friends both with the highest respect for each other. 

Needless to say my day in the limelight at Blackfordby diploma day did not go entirely smoothly. Following the tea and the presentations, it came to my attention there were photographs doing the rounds, which were causing a lot of interest and laughter. On asking to see the content of these photographs from their purveyor, Dawn Pohl, the wife of Chris Pohl from Centenary, who also happened to be the sister-in-law of my neighbour and friend Henry Bezuidenhout. She reluctantly showed me. It turned out they were pictures of me hanging by my knees from the rafters in Henry and Tink’s recently completed thatched farmhouse. One of my party tricks was to hang by my toes from the rafters, but by that time it was by the knees so this being the last time I did so. Dawn, who had been present that day, had the presence of mind to record the feat which she was now gleefully sharing. I have to admit the photographs attracted much more attention than the content of my speech. I am sure the Polhs will remember this when they read this blog. I wonder if they still have the photographs?

Just showing off one of my rose bushes.

Needless to say, it caused no rift with the hierarchy of the ZTA and the CFU later that year agreed to become funding partners in the new Blackfordby, to be based at Klein Kopjes in Concession, not far from my Mazowe Valley farm. Unlike the ZTA, the CFU consisted of a periphery of commodity associations and branches, so for Anthony and myself, there was a hard lobbying job to not only get all of them on board with this latest project we also needed their support in its funding. This funding we succeeded in and in 1995 we opened the doors to a fully developed college at Klein Kopjes.. Through Blackfordby, the relationship between the CFU and ZTA was very much strengthened with, as I have said, Peter Richards and myself becoming firm friends. Following my time at the CFU and with the resignation of the long time board chairman of the college, Vec Hurley I became the new chairman and remained so until I left for Zambia in 2002 with Peter as the chairman of the board of trustees. Blackfordby, in its day, was a wonderful and worthwhile success.

I am not sure what the content of the blog will be next week, if any, as I go into hospital on Monday for further surgery in regard to my stomach cancer. Very short notice and just when I was feeling as well as I have over the past three years. Be interesting where they will cut this time as my stomach already looks like a monochrome tartan.

Disclaimer: Copyright Peter McSporran. The content in this blog represents my personal views and does not reflect corporate entities.