1. Poor agricultural policies that led to the late distribution of farming inputs such as seed and fertilizer by the Zimbabwe authorities;17 2. State-sponsored violence after the general elections in March 2008; 3. Corruption within state-run agricultural institutions such as the Grain and Marketing Board (GMB) and by ZANU-PF’s political elite. Each of these factors is discussed below. Late Distribution of Farming Inputs Agriculturalists informed Human Rights Watch that the late distribution of farming inputs by the Zimbabwe authorities as a result of poor agricultural policies and corruption was one of the main causes of the decrease in cereal production in the country. Tillage of farms needs to be done before the rains and all preparations should be ready by at least September 1 for rains that normally come between late October and November. An FAO/WFM assessment mission report to Zimbabwe in May 2008 found that the delayed supply of inputs was one of the major factors that affected the productivity of the 2007-8 crops.18 The assessment mission advised Zimbabwean authorities to ensure that seed was easily accessible by farmers on the open market and made available in a timely manner. However, this did not take place. Late distribution of seed and other farming inputs and unavailability of seed is likely to be a major factor in low maize production next season. One agriculturalist told Human Rights Watch: Agricultural production is about the availability of inputs. Seed is always released too late by the government. It gets on the market too late. Yields decline by more than half between November and December planting.19 A farmer made the same point to Human Rights Watch: I benefited from the government Champion Farmer Programme. I was promised 10 bags of Compound D fertilizer, 10 bags of Ammonium Nitrate fertilizer and 50kgs of maize seed but l only got 50kgs of seed. The seed was delivered…on November 18, …too late for this agricultural season…In any 17 Human Rights Watch interviews with 6 agriculturalists, Harare, November 16–23, 2008. 18 FAO/WFP crop and food supply assessment mission to Zimbabwe, Special Report, June 18, 2008. http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ai469e/ai469e00.htm (accessed December 2, 2008). 19 Human Rights Watch interview with agricultural expert, Harare, November 26. Crisis without Limits 12