In exchange, Zimbabwe received US$66m worth of agricultural equipment for the agricultural mechanisation programme, notably tractors made at the famous former Soviet plant in Belarus.

Maize is central to a complex web of small-scale businesses supporting production, transport, processing and marketing.

Proof of rigging requires the cross-checking of the infamous V11 forms, but these have not yet all been provided.

In the past, the support for mechanisation was focused on big, high-tech and expensive machines – the classic tractors, combines or centre pivot irrigation systems.

Remittances also flow internally within the country, from people working in town in government jobs or in businesses of different sorts.

This had important echoes of what happened during the colonial land distribution process.

We have known that this was going to be an El Niño season for many months.

This came to light just before the global climate summit in Dubai, COP28, and supposedly showed how seriously the petrostate was taking the climate challenge.