Online Reporter
Zvamaida Murwira
Zimpapers Senior Reporter
CHANCELLOR of all State Universities, President Mnangagwa, presided over the fourth graduation ceremony at Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology yesterday, capping 121 graduates and commissioning a state-of-the-art Central Analytical Services Laboratory on campus to accelerate the nation’s agricultural agenda.
The event underscored MUAST’s growing role in practical education and innovation under the Government’s Education 5.0 model.
Of the 121 graduating students, 62 were women and 59 men. They included 108 undergraduate students.
At the postgraduate level, six students were conferred with Master of Science degrees, three attained Doctor of Philosophy and one Master of Philosophy while three received postgraduate diplomas.
Vice Chancellor Professor Justice Nyamangara outlined the university’s practical impact on the local community.
MUAST, he said, facilitated the expansion of the nearby Muchekeranwa Dam out-grower irrigation scheme, which doubled its operational capacity from 30 to 60 hectares. A 30-hectare fixed centre pivot was installed specifically to benefit youths from the 48 families displaced during the dam’s construction, an initiative aimed at steering young people away from social vices.
In his speech, Vice Chancellor, Professor Justice Nyamangara said in fulfilment of the community outreach pillar under Education 5.0, the university facilitated the expansion of an out-grower irrigation scheme in the district from 30 hectares to 60 hectares.
“A 30-hectare fixed centre pivot has been installed to benefit youths drawn from the 48 families displaced during the construction of the dam. Community outreach initiative involving local youths is an endeavour in youth empowerment. An idle mind is the devil’s playground, as the saying goes, hence it is our hope that if these young people remain gainfully engaged, they will shun vices such as drug and substance abuse,” said Prof Nyamangara.
He said the university was training farmers to produce seed adequate to plant about 300 hectares.
“MUAST launched the African Indigenous Vegetables out-grower scheme by training 180 farmers in the 2024/25 season, who produced seed sufficient for over 300 hectares. The university is selling the seed through agro dealers such as Profarmer Zimbabwe and Farmbizz. Building on this success, the university has engaged a further 250 farmers for the 2025/26 season, bringing the total number of participating farmers to 430 across more than 10 wards in Marondera District,” said Prof Nyamangara.
He said the university was working, in partnership with the OCP Foundation of Morocco, to construct a tamarind processing factory in Binga.
“I would like to report that the construction of the factory is now underway and should be completed during the first quarter of 2026. We are utilising local labour for all our labour requirements and currently 21 workers are at the site; hence we are contributing in our own small way to employment creation in Binga District,” he said.
“Under this same project, the university is also expanding Malindi Irrigation Scheme — Sinampande from two hectares to six hectares. The irrigation scheme has a membership of 21 families and is currently non-functional due to various technical challenges.”
He said, despite the subdued donor funded environment, the university successfully secured four externally funded projects in 2025, demonstrating the confidence that regional and international partners continue to place in MUAST’s research and development capacity.
Prof Nyamangara applauded the Government’s financial support towards the construction of the Central Analytical Services Laboratory at Marondera campus.
“The university now has a permanent home and we are sincerely appreciative to you and the Government of Zimbabwe. The additional space afforded by this campus will enable us to decongest the Cold Storage Commission campus. Henceforth, the university will be operating from three campuses,” said Prof Nyamangara.
“For our move to this campus to be without incident, we humbly seek your assistance in the relocation of the community still settled within Marondera Campus land,” said Prof Nyamangara.
He said the theme of the graduation, “Leveraging Education 5.0 for Sustainable Agricultural and Community Transformation”, was consistent with the Government’s vision of transforming the country into an upper-middle-income economy.
“Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology has fully embraced the heritage-based Education 5.0 philosophy and NDS1 in its endeavour to proffer sustainable agricultural innovations that will transform the economy of the nation at large. We are cognisant that the crafting of NDS2 (National Development Strategy 2) is underway, and as a university, we are participating and providing our expertise in the relevant clusters,” said Prof Nyamangara.
He said at least six students graduated with the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Chancellor’s Prizes.
“The university is thankful to you, Your Excellency, for these awards, which continue to show the passion that you have for education and for rewarding and recognising those students who excel in their academic studies,” he said.
The best female graduating student was Nokuthaba Ntandoyenkosi Tengani, who graduated with a BSc Honours degree in Animal Science and Technology, while the best male graduating student was Farai Kadembo, who graduated with a BSc Honours degree in Crop Production Technology. The two students each received a cash prize of US$1 000 courtesy of President Mnangagwa.
The other four recipients walked away with US$500 each.
They are Michael Chabuka (BSc Hons Crop Production and Technology, Almeline Moyo (BSc Crop Production and Technology), Trevor Gilbert Mapfumo (MSc in Crop Science, Agronomy) and Praise Manhamo (MSc Animal Science).
President Mnangagwa was accompanied by Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Dr Frederick Shava, Permanent Secretary Professor Fanuel Tagwira, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya, Vice Chancellors from different universities, academics and captains of industry, particularly in the agriculture value chain.
