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White Success 24th October 2003 Growing numbers of white farmers have settled in Zambia after fleeing Zimbabwe's land seizures, bringing more than $100 million in investments with them, a Zambia Investments Centre official said on Friday. Zambia is emerging from a severe food shortage that affected more than 14 million people at its peak earlier this year. The impoverished country has put agriculture at the top of its agenda, seeking to boost output and farming skills. ''Zimbabwe investors in farming have collectively invested a total of $107.6 million from 1993, of which $46.3 million has been invested from the year 2002 to September 2003,'' said Richard Chavula, the acting Director of Operations of Zambia's official investment promotion agency. Many white commercial farmers have left Zimbabwe since the government began a programme of seizing land for redistribution to landless blacks, often accompanied by violent farm occupations. Government officials say some Zimbabwean farmers have bought Zambian farms for as much as $1 million. Chivula said Zimbabwean farmers would bring in much-needed expertise and help boost production, especially in tobacco. He estimated Zimbabwean investment would raise tobacco production from the current 4 million kg per year to 20 million kg within five years. Chavula said no virgin land had been allocated to the farmers, who are buying or leasing farms from Zambian farmers. But farmers were free to apply for state land, he said, adding 70 percent of Zambia's arable land was not being used and was available for acquisition by local or foreign investors. Chavula said 10 farmers settled in Zambia between 1993 and 2002, while 31 farmers moved in between 2002 and September this year after their Zimbabwean farms were seized. In March, the ZIC said it had received 125 applications from Zimbabwe farmers seeking to settle in Zambia. The white farmers have also fled to other nearby countries, notably Mozambique, and helped shore up their rural economies. Shapi
Shacinda - MSNBC |