Wed, 23 Nov 2016 09:50:29 +0000 GOVERNMENT’S decision to diversify the economy from the long time and traditional mining to agriculture may remain a pipedream if farmers’ access to agricultural and agro-processing finance is low. Indications that only about 0.62 percent are registered agriculture related businesses with the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) must raise concern not only to Government but also all stakeholders. What is more shocking to learn is that only one percent of farmers have access to loans from commercial banks. This brings to the fore two serious issues for immediate consideration: the need to encourage formal registration of agriculture related business companies and adequate financing of the agriculture sector. Why has the agriculture sector largely remained informal? What did the previous governments not do right to diversify this vital sector? What policies did not work well to support the shift from mining to agriculture? We are cognisant that the main […]
