Online Reporter
George Maponga in BIKITA
A MASVINGO farmer is this year targeting to harvest 1 500 tonnes of wheat as more indigenous farmers join President Mnangagwa’s call for Zimbabweans to be masters of their own destiny.
Mr Philemon Mutangari, who is also a renowned businessman, has transformed virgin land at his Riverton Farm, east of Masvingo City, into a wheat-growing fortress.
Mr Mutangiri has put 150 hectares under winter wheat, supported by latest irrigation technology and is daring to dream as the farming revolution ensues at his farm.
He says President Mnangagwa is the inspirational force behind his decision to venture into agriculture.
“I was inspired after visiting the President’s Precabe Farm in Kwekwe and I said to myself I can also do it and my target is to develop 300 hectares for wheat production by next year,” said Mr Mutangiri.
“’President Mnangagwa has been a very strong inspirational force to me and my idea is to produce more and more wheat so that even the price of bread goes down.
“We are looking to acquire a bread-making machine in the near future so that we can start baking cheap bread for the Masvingo market and the nation at large. I have discovered that we can only be masters of our destiny and there is idle wealth in the land.”
Riverton Farm employs more than 300 people from the surrounding Chipinda communal lands in Zaka North and resettlement areas in Bikita, Gutu and Masvingo districts.
Besides selling his produce, that also includes butternuts, maize and potatoes to his Riverton Academy, the surplus is also sold to the GMB depot in Masvingo, boosting the province’s food security.
