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Buhle Nkomo
Farming has made me a provider to my family and a business woman in the community. Tobacco is where the money is,” said Tapuwa Goto (27), a tobacco grower from Mt Darwin, in Mashonaland Central Province.
Goto’s mother died soon after her 21st birthday following a short illness. “At such a tender age, I became responsible for my young sister’s upkeep since our mother was a single parent. “It was a painful experience. I took over charge of my mother’s fields in a bid to fend for ourselves despite not having adequate knowledge in farming. It was a leap of faith. Our circumstances had changed my dream, I could not continue with studies,” she said.
She said her mother occasionally encouraged them to participate in the fields and also imparted good agronomic practices to her and her siblings. “If I had known better, I would have learnt more. “Tobacco has sustained us thus far. I have been able to send my sister through good schools.
“The profits from tobacco farming have enabled me to venture into horticulture, something which is giving me extra income. “I bought a truck that I use to ferry produce to Harare among other farm operations. I also installed a borehole for horticulture purposes,” she said with a smile.
Goto said she has been gaining experience over the years and her farming has become a tool of emancipation from poverty. “I have seen changes from the first season I started farming on my own. I have leant from my mistakes over different seasons. From the four hectares I am able to fend for my sister and I. When my mother passed on, I never imagined one day I would own a truck and able to adequately fend for myself.
She added: “I have also seen changes in terms of my produce as my highest prices over the years used to be less than five dollars but this season I got $5,10 and I see this as an improvement that is worth to be celebrated.
“With tobacco you have to keep learning as well as desist from taking short cuts. As it is, I have bought all of my fertilisers because I have to avert a scenario where we want fertilisers and it is not available on the market. Planning is a critical success factor in farming.”
She said tobacco farmers should also have good curing facilities and adequate sources of fuel so that it does not compromise the yield as a lot of farmers make mistakes in this area resulting in them getting poor quality and poor prices.
“Last season I was affected by leaf spot. I suspect that it was caused by not being thorough when destroying my stalks. This season I destroyed stalks early and made sure there are no re-growths,” she added.
“I want my sister to go to university and study agriculture. Zimbabwe is an agro-based economy and my sister needs to be where it is happening.
“I sincerely desire to see more females growing tobacco. I am a member of a club where we support each other financially and share farming ideas. We collect money from members and send one of us to buy inputs in Harare. It cuts on transport costs. It also saves on time as women we are generally burdened with domestic chores. Other women can form similar clubs.”
This season farmers have so far benefited over $450 million from the sale of 156 million kilograms of flue cured Virginia tobacco at an average price of $2, 91. Preparations for the 2018 season have also started with registration of farmers underway.
Tobacco seed that has been sold so far covers 77 000 hectares which is double what had been sold by the same time last year. Establishment of seedbeds commenced on June 1.
Tobacco farmers are reminded that stalks and re-growths should have been destroyed by May 15 and it is a crime for stalks to be found in one’s field as they are hosts for diseases that compromise quality and yield in the forthcoming season.
- For additional Information contact TIMB on telephone numbers 08677004624 /6 or 0772145166 /9 or 0279-22082 /21982 or 025-3439 or 067-24268 /29246 or 0277-2700 or 064-7280 or 0271-6772 or Toll Free Numbers 08006003 / 0731999999 / 0712832804 or E-mail: [email protected]
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