By Lawrence Paganga
Farmers in Zimbabwe are reviving farming country clubs in their districts to meet, share knowledge and experiences.
Farmers’ country clubs were introduced by White commercial farmers in the 1900s in almost every farming district.
The clubs were also popular then as farmers would meet for various sporting disciplines like cricket, rugby, tennis, golf, and other recreational facilities.
However, nearly all venues are now derelict following the land reform exercise introduced by the government 20 years ago, which saw White farmers being removed from their prime land to pave way for landless Blacks.
The new farm owners failed to utilise the country clubs as they struggled to adapt to their new occupation as commercial farmers.
Some country clubs were seized by the new farmers who turned them into housing accommodation and tilled the land available or turned them into grazing pastures for their livestock.
However, farmers in Banket, Mashonaland West province, have teamed and sourced resources to revive their derelict club, the Banket Country Club.
The government spokesperson, Nick Mangwana also confirmed there was work to renovate farmers’ country clubs across the country to help farmers gain knowledge, and for easier interaction.
“Farmers country clubs used to be part of the ecosystem of Zimbabwe’s farming communities. They are back. Let’s have more of these rolled out,” he said.
“Let’s do everything possible to make farming cool again. Going by the number of youths leaving townships or resisting townships to go into farming.”
Mangwana added: “The old commercial farmers had a lot of social capital because they networked and behaved like a real community. It’s time the new farmers leave individualism and start working together as a sector a community.”
