A bitter dispute has erupted at Elmswood Kubvoruno Farm in Marondera amid accusations that a joint venture partner is bent on delaying progress of the project.
Ryan Mark Ervine, a joint venture partner with landowner and war veteran John Fadzisayi Jani, has been accused of breaching the terms of their partnership, withholding payments, and engaging in corrupt practices.
Jani accuses Ervine of using his political influence to remain on the farm, despite the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, and Rural Resettlement reportedly giving approval to terminate the joint venture due to the latter’s non-performance.
“I followed the law, reported the breaches, and was advised that the contract could be cancelled,” Jani said.
“Instead of leaving, Ervine has taken the law into his own hands and is now trying to remove me from my own property.”
The joint venture agreement outlines several obligations for the partner, including full financing of the farming operations, adherence to good agricultural practices, and timely payment of agreed revenue shares.
Failure to meet these conditions could lead to contract termination.
Jani argued that Ervine’s actions not only violated the terms of the agreement, but also undermined government-backed initiatives designed to empower land reform beneficiaries.
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“The government promotes joint ventures to help farmers grow production, not for white farmers and land barons to make money and then grab land,” Jani said.
“This farm is mine. The joint venture was conditional. Ervine violated the contract and it’s in black and white.”
In May 2023, Ervine and Jani entered into a joint venture agreement (JVP) to farm 270 hectares of land at Kubvoruno Farm in Mashonaland East province.
The contract stipulated that Ervine, as the operational partner, would pay Jani 6% of the gross output from crops produced, alongside meeting performance and financial targets.
However, Jani claims that for the past two consecutive seasons, he has not received the agreed payment, despite evidence that farming operations, including tobacco production, continued on the land.
Ervine, who also engages in ranching with a large herd of dairy and beef cattle on the farm, is accused of ignoring contractual obligations such as paying grazing fees.
Leaked records from the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) reveal that tobacco was sold under Ervine's name in both 2024 and 2025, further raising suspicions about the missing revenue share that was due to Jani.
“The agreement is clear. I am entitled to six percent of the gross output from every crop produced under the joint venture,” Jani stated.
“For two seasons, nothing has been paid, yet tobacco was sold. That is a direct breach of contract.”
Jani alleged that Ervine was colluding with Marondera Municipality to push him off his land.
He claims that the municipality parcelled out residential stands on agricultural land, an action he believes was unlawful.
He has taken the local authority to court, arguing that the land is within the jurisdiction of Marondera Rural District Council, not the municipality.
“I am the lawful and rightful owner of this farm,” Jani concluded.
Efforts to reach Ervine or Marondera Municipality for comment were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
The dispute has raised concerns about the future of joint venture farming in Zimbabwe, particularly in the context of land reform.
