Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata recently in MWENEZI
Japan has injected US$5 million into a project that is being implemented under the World Food Programme (WFP) for Zimbabwean smallholder farmers to boost sesame production for the export market. The initiative has provided training, irrigation support and market access to thousands of farmers, many of whom are women in drought-prone districts.
Speaking on the sidelines of a field visit in Mwenezi, the Counsellor at the Japanese Embassy in Zimbabwe, Mr Masataka Nakamura said Japan is committed to strengthening agricultural value chains in Zimbabwe.
“Our project sails through WFP, focusing on water irrigation, capacity building and analytics,” he said.Sesame, a drought-resistant crop, has been embraced by many smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe’s dry regions due to its resilience.
Mr Lloyd Masunda, deputy country director for Sustainable Agriculture Technology (SAT) said there is a rapid growth of the sesame value chain in Zimbabwe.
“In the last three years, we have worked with smallholder farmers, providing training, extension support and linking them to markets,” Mr Masunda said.
“Initially, without external support, production was low. But last year, with WFP backing, we harvested over 650 tonnes of sesame from 2 930 farmers.
“This season, we have scaled up to 11 278 farmers, covering 6 600 hectares, and we expect to produce 3 300 tonnes.”Mr Masunda said Zimbabwe has successfully entered the export market, with 212 tonnes of sesame sold internationally last season.
“We exported 151 tonnes to Japan and smaller quantities to Mozambique. One of our biggest buyers is the Torture Corporation in Japan, and we also have commitments from buyers in India, China and Mozambique.”
The economic impact on smallholder farmers has been significant, with expectations that this season’s harvest will generate approximately US$2.7 million in rural communities.
WFP’s Masvingo field office’s programme policy officer, Mr Munyaradzi Gahadzikwa said the project is improving food security and livelihoods in drought-affected areas.
“In Mwenezi alone, we are supporting 3 500 vulnerable farmers with funding from the government of Japan, working in collaboration with SAT and relevant Government ministries,” Mr Gahadzikwa said.
“These farmers often struggle to put food on the table, but with sesame production, they have now achieved food security, nutrition security, and income security.”
