Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
FARMERS under the A2 land reform scheme in Gwanda District are reaping the rewards of a poultry project partnership with Drummond Ranching, through which they receive inputs and later sell their chickens back to the company.
In Gwanda, the partnership is benefitting farmers in the Crystal Springs and Reata farming areas.
Ms Sukoluhle Sibanda, one of the beneficiaries from Crystal Springs Farm, who received 3 000 broiler chickens, said the partnership has enabled them to make productive use of their land. She added that they have also been able to procure additional equipment for their fowl runs, such as drinkers and feeders.
“I’m running this project together with my sister, and at the moment we have 3 000 chickens, which we are rearing at two different locations. We get chicks and feed from Mr Drummond, rear them until maturity, and then he collects them. After that, we pay him for the inputs he provided, and we receive our share.
“We started this project last year, and it already looks promising. The partnership has enabled us to utilise land that was previously lying idle. It also provides us with inputs, and most importantly, we have a ready market. We don’t have to worry about finding buyers once the chickens are ready. Our main responsibility is to ensure proper care for the chickens,” she said.
Ms Sibanda said the project has also equipped them with valuable knowledge on poultry production, which they can continue to apply even after the partnership ends. She added that they plan to expand their operations by establishing more fowl runs.
She noted that raising chickens for commercial purposes is vastly different from rearing them for domestic consumption, which is more common in rural communities.
Another beneficiary, Ms Angeline Sibanda, said having additional fowl runs would allow them to maintain a steady supply of chickens for the market throughout the year.
“We have two fowl runs. After we sell our chickens, we have to wait two weeks before receiving another batch of chicks, then wait around two months for them to mature. During that time, we’re not generating any income. If we had more fowl runs, we could stagger production and always have chickens ready for sale,” she said.
Drummond Ranching Director, Mr David Drummond, said the partnership is aimed at empowering local farmers and helping them make productive use of their most valuable resource —land.
He said the initiative also serves to support farmers in areas where they face challenges.
Mr Drummond said that the arrangement ensures a reliable supply of chickens for their various markets, and that they are also working with around 30 farmers in the Mwenezi District.
“As part of our poultry production strategy, we encourage local farmers to get involved. We provide inputs such as feed and day-old chicks, and once the chickens reach target weight, we collect and market them on behalf of the farmers. The farmers then reimburse us for the inputs and retain the profits,” he said.
Mr Drummond said their goal is to empower local communities.
“Our principle is to empower and equip local farmers in poultry production wherever possible. Here in Crystal Springs, we are working with eight farmers, and in the neighbouring Reata Farm, we have another eight. It’s important to build strong relationships among farmers — the better each farmer does, the stronger the sector becomes, and the greater the benefit to the country as a whole,” he said. — @DubeMatutu
