The contribution of subsidised input schemes to agricultural productivity in Zimbabwe: The case of the Presidential Input Scheme.

Abstract

The Presidential Input Scheme (PIS) came into being in year 2000 as a successor to previous input support schemes (ISPs) that had been funded by both government and development partners. This study sought to establish the contribution of the PIS to agricultural productivity in Goromonzi District of Mashonaland East province in Zimbabwe over the period 2010 to 2015. Literature reviewed showed that most sub-Saharan countries had implemented some form of agricultural input support schemes, which ranged from widespread universal subsidies to targeted subsidies. The study was guided by the pragmatic worldview to research and utilised the mixed methods approach to data gathering and analysis. It adopted a case study design focusing on the PIS in Goromonzi District. The findings form the study in Goromonzi mirrored, to a great extent, what happens in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. There were reports of late delivery of inputs, sometimes the package was incomplete, targeting was not strictly adhered to, with widespread reports of corruption, nepotism and political favouritism. Leakages were common practice and the scheme did not have a viable exit strategy creating a culture of dependency among farmers. There was however, a general increase in productivity as a result of the implementation of the programme in Goromonzi District. The study recommends improved programme design to deal with most of the shortcomings identified in the programme.