Online Reporter
Locadia Mavhudzi, Midlands Correspondent
A humble Gokwe farmer has ploughed his way to national fame after he took delivery of a brand new tractor worth a whopping US$26 000 — the top prize in the SeedCo Annual National Crop Farming Competition.
Mr Melusi Musindo of Gomoguru Village, Gokwe South, under Chief Njelele, outshone thousands of farmers across Zimbabwe to be crowned 2025’s ultimate crop champion.
The grand prize was handed over at a colourful ceremony at his homestead recently, where the Midlands Provincial Director for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Busiso Mavhangeni, praised Mr Musindo’s achievement as a shining example of how smallholder farmers can drive the national food security agenda.
“Each participating farmer chose to invest in knowledge, commit to good agronomic practices and trust in climate-smart, agro-ecologically guided seed varieties.
“They have contributed not only to their households but also to Zimbabwe’s broader food security. That is a legacy to be proud of,” said Mrs Mavhangeni.
She urged farmers to embrace traditional grains and keep participating in the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme to cushion themselves against climate shocks.
Now celebrating 85 years of growth, SeedCo said its annual competition is proof that communal farmers can become national heroes when equipped with the right tools, training and seed varieties.
The contest dovetails with Government’s Vision 2030, which seeks to transform Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy anchored on sustainable development and food self-sufficiency.
Chief Njelele hailed his community’s resilience: “Our farmers’ adoption of Pfumvudza/Intwasa and small grains shows we are serious about becoming self-sufficient. In drought-prone areas like Gokwe, these practices are our lifeline,” he said.
SeedCo National Sales Manager Mr Ronnie Chigombe, heaped praise on Mr Musindo, revealing how the winner’s consistency and willingness to learn earned him the ultimate prize.
“When I first met Mr Musindo, I never imagined he would one day be our national champion. He kept buying SeedCo seed, followed advice from our Agricultural Business Advisory Officers — and the results speak for themselves.
“When I had moved to Harare, I then came to Gokwe for a field day at Mr Musindo’s fields. I saw wonderful things. What I’m saying is that you can do well if you use the right seed and listen to Agricultural Business Advisory Officers.
These people are very important. They have the knowledge. You must listen to them.
“We are here to celebrate with Mr Musindo and the prize that he has received, which is a tractor. He has won a tractor because he listened to us, the people who sell the seed and he also listens to Agricultural Business Advisory officers. Our desire as SeedCo is to plough back to the community so that we also help farmers to grow.
“We are not just after selling our product. If farmers do well, it means there is food security from household level, to district level, to provincial level and to the national level.”
Mr Chigombe encouraged farmers to participate in the next round of the competition this year.
“Buy at least 10kg of SeedCo seed, keep your receipt, register with your Agriculture Advisory Officer, listen to their advice and you could be next year’s winner,” he advised.
The competition starts from district level, provincial level up to national level, with prizes at each stage countrywide. For SeedCo, the competition is more than just marketing — it’s about ploughing back into the community and nurturing a generation of farmers who can feed the nation.
“If farmers do well, the whole country eats well. From the household to the national level — that’s our vision,” said Mr Chigombe.
Bongani Ndlovu