Online Reporter
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke in CHIPINGE
WOMEN in Mt Selinda, Chipinge, have set their sights on regional and international export markets by turning locally-grown fruits and vegetables into high-value dried products.
Through value addition and packaging, the group has broken into the Mozambican market and recently had its products showcased at the ongoing Osaka Expo in Japan, marking a major milestone in its journey from subsistence farming to commercial trade.
The 75-member group, supported by Women and Land in Zimbabwe, started with just four women and has expanded through strategic partnerships with agricultural extension officers and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development.
“We used to lose most of our produce after the harvest season. Now, with the knowledge and support we have received, we dry, package and preserve our fruits and vegetables, allowing us to sell all year round and earn more,” said Mrs Tshiyiwe Sibhula Mhlanga, the group facilitator.
The women use a solar dryer provided by the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) through the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development to process crops such as mangoes, garlic, sweet potatoes, cassava and pineapples.
They also produce 100 percent juice extracted from the granadilla fruit, an instant sweet potato porridge, chips made from yams, desiccated coconut, as well as stock feed made from leftover fresh produce.
Besides crop production and value addition, the women are also doing beadwork and weaving, a craft which is bringing in money from buyers across the country.
The value-added products are in high demand, particularly in Mozambique, where buyers now travel to Chipinge to purchase dried garlic and other goods in bulk.
“Our products are now known in Mozambique thanks to our participation at the Maputo International Trade Fair (FACIM), which was facilitated by ZimTrade. The biggest breakthrough came when our products were selected for exhibition at the Osaka Expo in Japan, also by Zimtrade. This is a sign that what we are doing here can meet international standards and we hope to start reaching more markets soon,” Mrs Mhlanga said.
She said the income generated from sales was pooled to support members’ families, finance the next farming season, and assist vulnerable children in the community.
“We make sure everyone benefits. We have even managed to send two girls, who are survivors of gender-based violence, back to school. One is now in Grade 6 and the other in Form 2. That is what empowerment looks like for us.”
Mrs Maria Saungweme, who joined the group in 2019, said the initiative had changed her life.
“Life was very difficult when I got married and moved to Mt Selinda from Chiadzwa. But joining this group helped me learn how to grow crops and add value to them. Now I can pay school fees for my children and contribute to my household,” she said.
Another member, Mrs Joice Shayachimwe, said the group offered a lifeline after her husband retired in 2020.
“We started with basket weaving, then moved to farming. When we began drying and packaging our produce, everything changed. I have managed to educate my children and even support my grandchildren. This is what President Mnangagwa meant when he said we must empower ourselves through agriculture,” she said.
Chipinge District Development Coordinator Mr William Mashava said the success of the Mt Selinda women was a demonstration of the power of value addition in unlocking income opportunities in rural communities.
“Value-added products have higher economic returns. When vegetables are dried and preserved, they can be sold during off-season periods at a better price. That is how these women are now tapping into export markets. We are encouraging more village business units across the district to follow this model,” he said.
He added that the Government’s devolution agenda and rural industrialisation drive were creating more opportunities for rural communities to access training, equipment and markets.
“These women are proof that with the right support and innovation, smallholder farmers in remote areas can compete on the global stage,” said Mr Mashava.
