Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) President Mugabe defends land policy

President Mugabe defends land policy
Philip Murombedzi in Rome, Italy
Tue, 03 Jun 2008 23:57:00 +0000

President Robert Mugabe is surrounded by his security staff as he leaves his hotel in Rome with First Lady, Grace Mugabe. PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe on Tuesday defended the government’s land policy in a speech at a United Nations conference on the global food crisis, saying he is undoing a legacy left by Zimbabwe's former colonial masters.

He said Zimbabwe had "democratised land ownership" over the past decade and Zimbabweans were now the "proud owners" of land previously owned by a few thousand white farmers.

"Previously, this land was owned by a mere 4,000 farmers, mainly of British stock," he said.

The President blamed international sanctions for many of Zimbabwe's woes and said the policies of the Zimbabwe government have been warmly welcomed by the people of Zimbabwe adding that Zimbabwe's “primary agriculture policy objective remains that of ensuring national and household food security through our own production.”

"Over the past decade, Zimbabwe has democratized the land ownership patterns in the country, with over 300,000 previously landless families now proud landowners. My country's primary agriculture policy objective remains that of ensuring national and household food security through our own production," he said.

"It has, however, and regrettably so, elicited wrath from our former colonial masters. In retaliation ... the United Kingdom has mobilized her friends and allies in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand to impose illegal economic sanctions against Zimbabwe," he said.

The sanctions aim to "cripple Zimbabwe's economy and thereby effect illegal regime change in our country," he said.

In direct contrast to statements made in the British media, the President blamed food shortages in Zimbabwe on Britain and the West, as well as on climate change and soaring fuel prices globally, echoing the sentiments of other leaders who are attending the FAO conference, including President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal.

He pointed out a "marked disequlibrium" in world food equations which he said were threatening disaster for "all that humanity has achieved over the centuries".

"The trend towards global food crisis should be a cause for concern to all global leaders."

He also said global warming and the use of agricultural commodities for biofuels were linked to the crisis and needed an "urgent response" from all players in the world adding that the frequency and severity of droughts and flooods had increased over the past decade as the result of climate change and the effects have been felt in regions like Southern Africa that contribute very little to global greenhouse gas emissions.

The whole of Africa is responsible for a mere 5 % of all global greenhouse gas emissions.

The extreme weather conditions were exacerbating poverty levels, with farmers "trapped in a cycle of vulnerability" compounded by a decline in cereal stocks and "dramatic rises in the prices of food".

Soaring oil, chemical and fertiliser prices had also contributed. The result was that countries which were net food importers were "failing to achieve food security for their citizens". This was against a backdrop of "numerous challenges affecting agriculture in southern Africa" including the HIV/Aids virus and declining soil fertility.

"Parallel to these capacity boosting initiatives, there is need to demonstrate political commitment to the Doha Round negotiations that should deliver a sustainable reform of the global trade policies in agricultural commodities.

"I wish to restate that this summit needs to formulate robust action plans that recognize the need for fair trade policies in order to contribute towards the growth potential of the agriculture sector in the developing world."

Illegal regime change strategies

President Mugabe also said Britain and its allies sought to impose "illegal regime change" by channelling funds through NGOs to opposition parties, which were "the creation of the West", thus using food aid as a political weapon to force him from power.

He made these comments as Care International was banned from carrying out relief work in Zimbabwe for allegedly helping distribute opposition MDC-T campaign literature in the run-up to the March 29 harmonized election..

"But these constraints on our agricultural performance have not deterred us from taking measures to increase agricultural productivity, including irrigation schemes and small and medium sized dams," he said.

Western response

Most Western representatives at the summit said they would have no contact with President Mugabe. Some expressed outrage he was allowed to attend a summit on a global crisis of soaring food prices and shortages, given that many blame him for plummeting farm production in his own country.

Asked by a Channel 4 News journalist whether he saw it fit to attend the FAO Conference given the problems at home, President Mugabe was characteristically blunt, “Tell Gordon Brown that’s nonsense.”

The High-Level Conference on World Food Security

The Rome-based U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization is hosting the three-day High-Level Conference on World Food Security and the Challenges of Climate Change and Bio-energy to try to solve the short-term emergency of hunger caused by soaring prices, and to help poor countries grow enough food to feed their own.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addressed world leaders saying that global food production must rise by 50 percent by 2030 to meet increasing demand.

Ban said that nations must minimize export restrictions and import tariffs during the food price crisis and quickly resolve world trade talks.

A global food crisis currently grips the world and threatens to push 100 million people into hunger, provoking food protests and could aggravate violence in war zones.

philipmurombedzi AT yahoo.com
Reporting from Rome, Italy

Labels: FAO, LAND REFORM, MUGABE, UN

posted by MrK @ 5:20 PM