COVID-19 slashes farmers’ income

Stella Saungweme (47), is a smallholder farmer from Chimanimani district and a mother of six. She lives with two of her children and three grandchildren. Stella works with PELUM Zimbabwe Member and Zimbabwe Seed Sovereignty Programe (ZSSP) Partner, Chikukwa Ecological Land Use Community Trust (CELUCT). She has no access to Farmers’ Markets because of the lock-down aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19. Photo: CELUCT

Stella Saungweme (47) is a smallholder farmer from Chimanimani district, eastern Zimbabwe. Stella lives in a community that was affected by cyclone Idai in March 2019. A year later, she battles to feed her family because she is unable to sell her produce.

Stella says Farmers’ Markets are closed to stop the spread of COVID-19. But this has cut off her income.

“There are no markets to sell produce and I do not have enough money to buy food,” says Stella.

Zimbabwe imposed a 21-day full lock-down on 30 March 2020. Another 14 days was added to stop the spread of COVID-19. But farmers have had to bear the cost of a full lock-down. Stella says she has no other means to earn an income. This is affecting her livelihood.

“Movement is restricted. I cannot feed my family or buy basic commodities because I cannot sell my produce,” says Stella.

Communication during the lock-down has been difficult. “You will not know the whereabouts of your neighbours because of poor mobile network coverage,” says Stella. This reminds her of period when Zimbabwe gained independence from colonial rule in 1980.

“We had no transport, medical facilities and schools. We used barter trading,” she says.