A determined farmer driven by passion

Rudo Mandiro

MRS Beverly Sachikonye always had a passion for farming.

During her formative years, she would accompany her grandfather to his fields where she found enchantment in observing the old man toiling in his tobacco field.

Often-times, her mother would reprimand her for her childlike fascination with spending hours on end in the fields.

But this would only fuel her burning desire as she always found herself back to what she loved best.

“When my mother realised that her whip could not take away my passion, she accepted it and would at times make fun of me,” said the 40-year-old Mrs Sachikonye.

At school, however, she never took up agriculture as one of her core subjects.

It is only through her school holiday experiences that she progressively mastered the art of farming.

After school, she briefly ventured into entrepreneurship, retailing liquor.

However, her consuming desire to work the land would not relent and as fate would have it, she found herself back on the fields again.

Four years ago, she inherited her grandfather’s 60-hectare farm in Chitomborwizi, Chinhoyi.

She wanted to follow in his footsteps and immediately ventured into tobacco farming.

Her first season was encouraging.

She harvested close to 1 500 kg of the golden leaf valued at nearly US$3 000.

“It felt great watching the crop mature by the day and when I got my first harvest payout, for a moment I relished my dream,” she reminisced.

The mother-of-two’s husband and children are also avid farmers.

Their agriculture enterprise has since been transformed into a family business and is recognised as one of the best producers of tobacco in Mashonaland West Province.

Mrs Sachikonye will auction more than 200 bales of tobacco this marketing season, a haul that can be matched by a few owing to the effects of last summer’s mid-season dry spell.

“We have been growing tobacco on just under 15 hectares since 2018 and the journey has its ups and downs, but we have survived it all,” she said.

“We are a farming family. My children have a rare interest in farming.

“They do all the administration and paperwork, planning and logistics while my husband does the heavy lifting.”

Her experience, she said, has taught her that farming is a full-time business that requires dedication, passion and presence.

Over the years, she has also mastered the science of balancing her life as a farmer, wife and mother.

But finding that sweet spot is challenging.

Mrs Sachikonye urged more women to stake their claim in previously uncharted sectors that have in the past been dominated by men.

“Most women do not realise that farming is one of the most lucrative sectors, which many shun because of misconceptions,” she added.

“It is as demanding as any other business, but with farming, you can never go wrong and over the years I have realised that my passion for it has grown deeper.”

When it comes to tobacco farming, volume is as important as quality.

“I learnt a lot with time because I did not receive any agriculture training at any school or college; in fact, I had a strong support system.

“I was built and encouraged by other farmers like Dr Howard Marowa, Penikati Magwada and Lloyd Mandizvidza, among others.

“The journey has been tough to such an extent that at some point I felt like giving up but they stood by me.”

Testament to the massive progress she has managed in just four seasons, her production has multiplied by over 10 times.

This year, she is set to harvest over 20 000 kg of the golden leaf, albeit under contract.

“From production on under 15 hectares this season, we are expecting a yield of over 20 000 kg valued at US$70 000 at an average of US$3,50 a kg.”

She urged Government to assist farmers through farm mechanisation programmes so that they can procure equipment like advanced ridgers, ploughs and centre pivots to boost production.

She said the absence of such equipment on farms hinders production and expansion.

“I would like more land for farming. A sustainable farming enterprise must involve a diverse mix of different crops with different selling points and times.”