MSU student grows a fruitful future

KUMBIRAI Gomba, a 24-year-old student at Midlands State University (MSU), has made significant strides in his pawpaw farming venture.

From humble beginnings with less than 200 plants in 2021, he has expanded his operation to over 1 200 plants on a hectare of land provided by his father, Engineer Sam Gomba, a renowned passion fruit farmer.

While his peers may spend their free time relaxing or taking breaks, Kumbirai dedicates his weekends and spare moments to tending to his pawpaw trees. His hard work and dedication have likely contributed to his success in scaling up his farming operation.

At this moment, the trees need all the tender love and care as they now have fruits and soon they will be harvested.

A Chronicle news crew caught up with the excited Agriculture Economics and Development student at the plot where he shared his vision of aiming to become one of the biggest pawpaw farmers in the country.

“I started in 2021 with a few plants of just about 200 or less which I planted. As the years progressed and with sheer determination and hard work I managed to increase the plants to about 1 200 on over a half a hectare,” he said.

When asked why he chose not to follow in his father Engineer Gomba’s footsteps with horticulture and passion fruit, Kumbirai explained his desire to forge his own path. He aspires to navigate uncharted territory by targeting the export market and generating valuable foreign currency for the nation.

Kumbirai’s vision extends beyond personal success. He stresses his commitment to contributing to Vision 2030 through his focus on pawpaw exports.

“The desire to be independent, the desire to start something that will be of great benefit to me, my family, the community, and the country at large saw me trying to do something different and it is my everyday prayer that I succeed,” he said.

Kumbirai thrives in his course, which perfectly aligns with his passion for farming.

“I finished level 2.2 school last semester. I’ll skip the attachment year because I am a diploma holder. It’s good that I am putting the theory from school into practice on this piece of land,” he said.

Kumbirai meticulously plans his tasks before leaving for MSU, ensuring he dives straight into field checks upon his return.

“So, I delegate to an employee and ask my parents to monitor when I’m not around. I also come back home every time I have a free space or time,” he said.

The young farmer sees a promising opportunity in paw-paws, highlighting a booming local market.

“This is one market that is not common to many farmers and that makes it lucrative. But certainly, there’s an opportunity that I want to grab on the export market that I find exciting,” he said.

Kumbirai’s ambitions extend beyond paw-paw farming. He sets his sights on incorporating indigenous trees later this year.

“I have another project I am starting to work on this year, mainly on indigenous fruits that I think will be a game changer. Expansion and value addition of the papaya business remains a priority. So, in the next five years, I will be the best at what I do,” he said.