How a farming couple transformed their rural home with traditional grains

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu 

GOGO Sifelani Dube and her husband Dannie Dube are a farming couple from Lumene Village in Gwanda, who have used their farming proceeds to transform their rural home and lifestyle. 

The couple, who are in their 70s, have recently built an ensuite in their bedroom, and are planning to tile their home next. They have also electrified their home, mounted two Jojo tanks, and run various livestock projects.

Their main source of income is growing traditional grains, such as sorghum, maize, and groundnuts, which they have been doing since 2014. 

They moved to Lumene Village from another area, and realised that traditional grains were the ideal crops for their environment. 

Last year, the couple produced 17 by 50kg bags of sorghum, 22 by 50kg bags of maize, and 8x50kg bags of groundnuts. 

This year, they have increased the number of their plots, and expect even better yields. 

They sell some of their produce to their neighbours, who often rely on them for food supply after failing to grow enough maize. 

They keep the rest for their own consumption, ensuring food and nutrition security at household level. 

They also conduct farming as a business, and use the profits to improve their home and livelihood.

Sifelani said they decided to modify their home because living in a communal area does not limit one’s lifestyle.

 She said having an ensuite is convenient, especially when they come back from the fields in the evening and need to take a bath.

“We constructed this ensuite in October. 

“We have a lot of space in our yard and we decided to extend our bedroom by one room which we turned into an ensuite. 

It cost us about US$900 to cover the costs of buying the building material, transport, labour of the builder and other expenses. We also had a septic tank constructed in the yard. Some of the proceeds came from the traditional grains which we sold to neighbouring villagers this year and we also sold a beast to cover some of the expenses.

“When one of our children saw the development that we had initiated, he gave us funds to electrify our home. 

“We have been getting good proceeds from producing traditional grains,” she said.

Dannie said they have also managed to mount two Jojo tanks at their homestead to harvest water in a bid to alleviate water challenges. He said each year they endeavour to develop and improve their farming activities. 

He said this year they have improved their number of plots. 

He said the education on farming which they have received from various stakeholders has helped to improve their operations.

“We can always live a suburban lifestyle even though we live in a communal area. What is needed is determination, hard work and focus. 

“Our target has always been to develop ourselves in every way possible. 

“We shouldn’t remain where we are at the moment in the next two years,” he said.

Sifelani said they are also running a chicken project, goat rearing, cattle rearing and fodder production project, which helps them to sustain their livestock. 

“She said they are also involved in other community development initiatives, such as building schools and donating equipment.

“Farming as a business has helped us to lead a decent lifestyle. 

“Just because we are in a communal area doesn’t mean that we have to be susceptible to poverty and live like beggars. 

“We are using the little land that we have to be productive and to develop ourselves,” added Sifelani.