Online Reporter
Gibson Mhaka
Bulawayo Bureau
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa’s vision of poverty reduction, women empowerment, food sovereignty, youth employment and rural industrialisation has inspired the transformative 500 Women Chilli Project being implemented in Lupane and surrounding communities, African Food Revolution director Mr Makhosi Godonga Mahlangu has said.
He made the remarks after he had the opportunity to brief President Mnangagwa on the initiative when the Head of State and Government toured exhibition stands at the launch of the 2026 National Culture Month commemorations at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo last Thursday.
President Mnangagwa toured the stand in the company of Vice President Dr Kembo Mohadi.
Mr Mahlangu said the engagement with the President provided him an opportunity to showcase a project that was transforming rural livelihoods, while advancing Government’s development agenda under Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy (NDS) frameworks.
He said the project was a direct response to the Second Republic’s development philosophy of leaving no one and no place behind.
These interventions were in strict alignment with Zimbabwe’s economic blueprint, National Development Strategy 1 and 2 (NDS1 and NDS2) frameworks, which steer the nation towards achieving an Upper-Middle-Income Economy by 2030 (Vision 2030).
“We had the privilege of meeting President Mnangagwa to discuss the transformative 500 Women Chilli Project currently being implemented in Lupane District and surrounding communities,” said Mr Mahlangu. “This initiative is inspired by His Excellency’s development philosophy, which places people at the centre of economic transformation.
“It is aligned to the President’s vision on poverty reduction, women empowerment, food sovereignty, youth employment and rural industrialisation as espoused under Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 1 and 2 frameworks.”
Mr Mahlangu said the project goes beyond conventional farming and represents a broader model for community-driven industrial transformation.
“During our discussion with the President, I explained that this is not merely an agricultural programme, but a rural industrialisation and food systems model designed to empower women through indigenous value chains, agroecology and community-based enterprise development,” said Mr Mahlangu.
“The 500 Women Chilli Project seeks to place thousands of chilli seedlings into the hands of rural women farmers while integrating training in sustainable agriculture, value addition, market access and traceability systems.”
Mr Mahlangu said the initiative combines indigenous knowledge systems with modern technologies to create a resilient and commercially viable value chain in Matabeleland North.
“We are combining traditional knowledge with modern technologies such as GIS mapping, geotagging and climate-smart production methods to build a sustainable chilli economy that benefits rural communities,” he said.
