Gibson Mhaka [email protected]
STRENGTHENING farmer mentorship programmes is key to boosting national grain production, with experienced commercial farmers sharing practical knowledge with emerging producers to support Zimbabwe’s food security drive, Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR) 200HA Plus Club chairperson Mr Tichaona Mapfoche has said.
Mr Mapfoche said this during the provincial Summer Cropping Plan and Drought Mitigation Strategy dissemination workshop held at Mhlahlandlela Government Complex in Bulawayo on Tuesday.
The workshop brought together farmers from Umguza, Lupane and Tsholotsho districts, alongside agricultural stakeholders, to discuss preparations for the coming summer cropping season and measures to mitigate the potential effects of drought.
The SGR 200HA Plus Club brings together commercial farmers producing strategic crops, including maize, sorghum and wheat, in support of national food security initiatives.
Mr Mapfoche said individual farmers could not meet the country’s grain requirements alone, making collaboration, knowledge-sharing and coordinated production essential to strengthening national food security.
“As commercial farmers who are successful in our farming ventures, we believe we cannot produce enough for the country as individuals,” he said.
He said the club was implementing a mentorship programme based on a hub-and-spoke model, linking emerging farmers with experienced lead farmers who provide practical guidance on commercial crop production.
Under the arrangement, farmers are organised into clusters of between 20 and 40 members, with an experienced lead farmer serving as a centre of excellence where participants learn improved farming techniques.
Emerging farmers then apply the knowledge in their own fields, while peer-to-peer monitoring helps track progress and encourage accountability.
“We allocate them a lead farmer who becomes the hub or centre of excellence. These emerging farmers are the spokes. They learn from the hub, they implement,” said Mr Mapfoche.
He said the programme complemented Government’s food security initiatives, with the club working alongside the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development and strategic partners, including the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) and AFC Holdings.
Mr Mapfoche said the mentorship initiative was being reinforced by nationwide workshops conducted in partnership with the ministry to disseminate the Cabinet-approved Six-Pillar Drought Mitigation Strategy and prepare farmers for the summer cropping season.
He said disruptions to international food supply chains caused by geopolitical tensions had highlighted the risks of relying on imported grain supplies, underscoring the need to strengthen domestic production.
“The country is built by its own people, and we must embrace an inward-looking approach to food production,” he said.
Mr Mapfoche said the drought mitigation strategy encouraged farmers to adopt climate-smart practices, grow drought-resistant traditional grains and strengthen early-warning systems to help communities prepare for adverse weather conditions.
He said the campaign had covered Mashonaland West, Manicaland, Mashonaland East, Matabeleland South and the Midlands provinces before reaching Bulawayo.
Mr Mapfoche expressed optimism that farmers attending the interactive workshops would share the knowledge gained with others in their communities, extending the initiative’s reach.
He said stronger cooperation among farmers would help improve production, reduce vulnerability to supply disruptions and build resilience against drought, contributing to the country’s long-term food security.
