Sundaymail Editor
Malven Mugadzikwa
After over two decades in the classroom, Mrs Netsai Nyamunda Daka has found a new calling in agriculture.
A recent graduate of the Zimbabwe Agricultural College (ZIACO), she has managed to balance teaching and farming, demonstrating that learning never stops and that skills acquired in the right environment can yield great results.
ZIACO is a first-of-its-kind virtual college that uses internet-based technologies to provide digitised competence-based agricultural education. The college is under the Department of Agricultural Education within the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.
At Norton’s Marshlands Farm, Lot 1, Mrs Daka has transformed her 800-square-meter plot into a thriving agricultural venture.
She is currently doing roadrunners, broccoli, beetroot and cucumbers. Mrs Daka has also constructed two greenhouses to maximize production.
Speaking about her journey, Mrs Daka highlighted how ZIACO provided her with invaluable skills that she has applied to her farming enterprise.
“I enrolled with ZIACO in 2023. I have pepper and tomatoes here, and although we are operating on a small scale, I am grateful that we are doing it the right way as we were trained at ZIACO,” she said.
She emphasised the importance of hands-on learning at ZIACO, which covered vital aspects such as planting crops in the right seasons, pest and disease management, scouting for insects, proper irrigation, and fertilization techniques.
“I learned a lot from ZIACO, from the way you see this greenhouse structure to the crops we have. We have pepper intruder here, and tomatoes (variety 9037). We learned how to plant, when to plant and how to manage crops effectively.
“Most importantly, I now understand the need to physically be present at my farm rather than relying on phone farming,” she said.
For Mrs Daka, agriculture is more than just a source of income, it is a long-held passion and a retirement plan for her family.
“I have been a teacher for more than 20 years, and it has been on my heart to have a retirement plan for my family. While my husband can take care of us, agriculture has always been a passion of mine,” she said.
She also highlighted how farming is an ideal side venture for professionals like herself.
“I normally come here after work, which makes it easier for me to manage everything on the plot.
“This venture that has given me confidence and encouragement, knowing that I can successfully apply the skills I acquired,” she added.
ZIACO principal, Ms Constance Nyaruwata, commended Mrs Daka’s achievements, expressing satisfaction with the progress made at her farm.
“I am very grateful for what I have witnessed at Mrs Daka’s farm.
“She has been doing well, considering the successes that I have seen. She is doing roadrunners, broccoli, beetroot, and cucumbers, and we have seen that she successfully constructed a greenhouse to cater for most of her commercial crops,” said Ms Nyaruwata.
She further explained how Mrs Daka’s farm is a testament to ZIACO’s emphasis on land productivity and intensive farming techniques.
“The place is only 800 square meters, yet she has been doing wonders here. This is where we apply the concept of land productivity.
“At ZIACO, we teach modules on farm production potential, and this is a great example of how one can do massive and intensive production on a small piece of land,” she added.
Online Reporter
Tinaye Agere