Online Reporter
George Maponga
Masvingo Bureau
Masvingo City-based football club, Ancient City FC, has diversified into agriculture through a sustainability agriculture project at Netridge Farm that is expected to generate annual income of over US$100 000.
The team, known by its moniker Boys DzaMudhara and whose foundation is inspired by President Mnangagwa’s visionary leadership, has already established an integrated farming project straddling 10hectares at Netridge that will produce green produce and eggs all year round while also venturing into piggery and pen fattening.
The project is predicated on the latest irrigation technology that has been installed at the project site as Zimbabwe braces for the El Niño weather phenomenon expected to precipitate drought.
Boys DzaMudhara’s chief executive officer, Tafara Pande, said the mixed farming project at Netridge Farm is inspired by President Mnangagwa’s “Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo” philosophy.
Pande described his team’s venture as an agro-football sustainability project whose rollout has been further necessitated by the looming El Niño-induced drought.
“We are inspired by President Mnangagwa’a visionary leadersh,ip which is the motivation behind our agro-football sustainability project at Netridge Farm on the outskirts of Masvingo City,” he said.
“We have invested in the latest irrigation technology to sustain a thriving market gardening project that will supply vegetables, tomatoes, onions, cabbages and carrots to Masvingo City.”
The team also intends to be a major supplier of eggs, pork and beef to Masvingo City and surrounding areas.
“To date we have already created 12 direct jobs and our thrust is also value-addition in line with the Second Republic’s mantra of beneficiation as Zimbabwe eyes upper middle income society status,” added Pande.
The project, which is being implemented under the theme, ”Growing Food,Growing Champions”, Boys DzaMudhara said it is confident of creating more jobs while helping engender food security in Masvingo City.
The team has been leading from the front in a crusade against vices such as drug and substance abuse in Masvingo and is also involved in clean-up campaigns to keep the ancient city clean.
Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Ezra Chadzamira hailed Boys DzaMudhara FC as a model team that promotes talent and sports development while also adding impetus to Masvingo province’s quest to become a US$8 billion provincial economy in gross domestic terms by the year 2030.
