Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda)
Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) is a farming parastatal in Zimbabwe under the Ministry of Agriculture Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.
It has a substantial land holding across the country, including 21 estates of varying sizes, with a total of 98,000 ha of arable land, 19,000 ha of which is irrigable.[1]
In the last few years, as part of a reform programme focused on parastatals, the government has encouraged ARDA to go into public-private partnerships with private companies in an attempt to revive their fortunes, seeking new finance and investment from the private sector. 40 companies bid for such partnerships in 2014, involving a mix of local and foreign capital.[1]
Currently there are 12 estates with such joint ventures: Chisumbanje, Middle Sabi, Katiyo, Mkwasine, Sisi, Nandi, Faire Acres, Jotsholo, Antelope, Ngwezi, Sedgewik and Doreen’s Pride. Those that remain wholly managed by Government include; Balu, Sanyati, Muzarabani, Mushumbi Pools, Nijo, Katiyo Main Estate, Rusitu, Magudu and Kairezi.[1]
The most (in)famous is the Chisumbanje estate, where tycoon Billy Rautenbach took over operations, and built a mill for processing sugar cane. Land disputes and controversies over ethanol pricing and markets have plagued the operation for some years.[1]
Arda Private Public Partnership Projects
| Estate | Farming Activities | Partnership Model | Private sector partner | Year of establishment |
| 1. Chisumbanje | · Sugarcane Production | Joint Venture | Green Fuel (Pvt) Ltd and Macdom Investments (Pvt) Ltd | BOT in 2009 but converted to JV in 2013 |
| · Ethanol Production | ||||
| 2. Middle Sabi | · Sugarcane Production | 20- Year Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) | Rating Investments (Pvt) Ltd | 2009 |
| 3. Umguza Plots – 45ha | · Horticulture, Maize and Wheat | 10-year Rehabilitate Operate and Transfer (ROT) Arrangements | Obert Mpofu | 2009 |
| 4. Katiyo (193ha Rumbizi & Chiwira Sections) | · Green Leaf Tea Production | 12-Year Management Contract | Eastern Highlands Plantations Limited | 2010 |
| 5. Mkwasine | · Game/Safari Hunting | 5- Year Management Contract | Zambezi Hunters (Pvt) Ltd | 2010 |
| 6. Nandi | · Sugarcane Production | 5- Year Management Contract Arrangement | Mangwa Quip (Pvt) Ltd | 2014 |
| 7. Fair Acres | · Soyabeans (summer) and wheat (winter) | 5-Year share Farming Arrangement | Northern Farming (Pvt) Ltd | 2014 |
| 8. Jotsholo | · Cotton Seed Production | 1-Year Renewable Contract Farming Arrangement | Chinarda (Pvt) Ltd | 2014 |
| 9. Antelope | · Maize (summer) wheat (winter) | 5- Year Management Contract | Trek Petroleum (Pvt) Ltd | 2015 |
| 10. Ngwezi | · Maize (summer) wheat (winter) | 5-Year share Farming Arrangement | Trek Petroleum (Pvt) Ltd | 2015 |
| 11. Sedgewick | · Livestock Rearing | 5-Year Grazing Contract | Madzimbabwe Asphalt | 2015 |
| 12. Doreen’s Pride | · Livestock Rearing, Maize and wheat | 10-Year Contract Farming Arrangement | Trek Petroleum (Pvt) Ltd | 2015 |
Further Reading
See Gushungo Dairy.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Can joint ventures revive large-scale commercial agriculture in Zimbabwe?, Zimbabwe Land, Published:31 Oct, Retrieved: 20 Nov 2016
