Online Reporter
Vusumuzi Dube, Deputy Radar Editor
Matabeleland North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Richard Moyo, has lauded the impressive growth and significant development impact of Queen’s Dairy Farm on the province’s economy and community welfare.
During a recent visit to the farm, Minister Moyo was impressed to find that the dairy operation has expanded substantially and now houses close to 500 heifers.
This remarkable growth has translated into much-needed employment opportunities for hundreds of people in the surrounding communities, with a particular emphasis on engaging the youth.
“The expansion of Queen’s Dairy Farm is a testament to what can be achieved through dedication and investment in the agricultural sector,” Minister Moyo remarked. “By providing jobs for so many young people, the farm is giving them meaningful work and helping to reduce idleness, which is critical in the fight against the scourge of drug and substance abuse that has plagued many communities.”
He emphasized that the farm’s role goes beyond just employment. The initiative is helping to foster a sense of purpose among young people, encouraging them to contribute positively to society.
“When the youth are productively engaged, the entire community benefits. This project is helping to build stronger, healthier communities by tackling social challenges head-on,” he said.
Minister Moyo also highlighted the broader economic benefits of Queen’s Dairy Farm, noting that the project is playing a crucial role in boosting the province’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“Agriculture remains a backbone of our provincial economy, and initiatives like this are vital in accelerating economic growth, improving food security, and ensuring sustainable development,” he noted.
He commended the farm’s management and stakeholders for their commitment to expanding operations and improving productivity, urging other entrepreneurs to emulate this model. “Queen’s Dairy Farm stands as a shining example of what can be achieved when vision meets hard work. Its success is not only contributing to economic growth but also enhancing the social fabric of Matabeleland North,” Minister Moyo added.
The Minister reaffirming the government’s support for similar projects that create employment, empower youth, and contribute to the overall development of Matabeleland North. He called on all stakeholders to continue collaborating to unlock the province’s full potential through sustainable agriculture and community-driven initiatives.
The story of Queen’s Dairy is also one of resilience and reinvention. The Gabriella Farm Estate, once owned by the Muir family known for their extensive mining operations, now tells a different story. The same lands that bore gold now grow pasture. Water once pumped from mine shafts is now redirected to irrigate fields, feeding a herd of 338 dairy cattle that will soon swell to over 2,000—poised to make Queen’s Dairy the largest dairy operation in Zimbabwe.
This bold agricultural shift aligns closely with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 1, which emphasises food security, value addition, job creation, and rural industrialisation.
But Queen’s Dairy is not waiting for government programmes to catch up; it is already fulfilling the goals of NDS1 while laying the groundwork for NDS2, which is expected to focus more on agro-processing, export-led growth, and social development.
Crucially, the company is also tackling another long-standing regional issue: the absence of local milk processing infrastructure. Currently, dairy farmers in Matabeleland North must transport their milk to Ruwa or Kwekwe—an unsustainable model that inflates costs and reduces local profitability.
Queen’s Dairy is changing that with a soon-to-be-completed processing plant on-site, which will produce pasteurised milk, cheese, yoghurt, and other products. The plant will be 60 percent owned by the project’s main investor, Eagle Italian Shoes, and 40 percent owned by local farmers based on their supply volumes. This structure ensures that economic empowerment remains in the hands of the people who need it most.
The community response has been overwhelming. Youth who once loitered aimlessly at bottle stores or fell into petty crime are now waking up at sunrise to milk cows, irrigate fields, and contribute meaningfully to a project they can proudly call their own. Parents are breathing sighs of relief. Community leaders are witnessing transformation not in theory, but in real time.
As the sun sets over the pastures of Gabriella Farm, the sounds of laughter and the clinking of milk buckets echo through the air. In a country struggling with economic uncertainty, here in Bubi, a miracle is quietly taking shape—one litre of milk at a time, one life at a time.
