dyton mupawaenda
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke recently in GWERU
Urban farmers in Gweru are reaping the rewards of adopting sustainable practices and innovative techniques, ensuring food security and income generation even in the face of a drought caused by erratic rains due to the El-Niño phenomenon.
Through sustainable farming practices, smallholder farmers in the city’s peri-urban areas have ensured food security at household level, as well as some surplus for sale.
The farmers have embraced the Pfumvudza/Intwasa conservation farming, which has seen them producing enough food despite drought.
Mr Themba Dube said he was confident he would get enough food to last him until the next farming season after growing his crops under the Pfumvudza programme.
“The crop that I planted under Pfumvudza this season did very well compared to the one I planted using conventional farming methods,” he said.
“I planted six plots of maize after the first rains on October 15 and seven plots for beans, peanuts, soya beans, sugar beans and cowpeas and I am sure that I will get a good harvest.
“Although we encountered a dry spell in November, it was easy for us to use a pipe to irrigate each crop for a short period. My crop this year is testament that the Pfumvudza concept is the best as I will never complain of hunger.”
Mr Dube said he had used the same technique last year and sold eight tonnes of maize to the GMB and kept enough to last him until the next harvest.
The Pfumvudza concept, which is being spearheaded by the Government, promotes conservation agriculture practices on small plots.
By digging narrow furrows, applying mulch and planting seeds in precise positions, water is conserved and yields are maximised.
The programme supported over 1,6 million vulnerable households for maize, sunflower, small grains, soya beans production with input packages and conservation agriculture practices and more than double the number of households were in the Pfumvudza programme in the present season.
The programme contributes to the Sustainable Development Goal to end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
In this regard, Mr Trust Kiza, another farmer at Ascot estate farm, is growing vegetables for sale to the local market.
He said his farm was cultivating covo, tomatoes, potatoes and peas.
“Covo is one of the major crops that we are producing and we also produce tomatoes, potatoes and peas,” said Mr Kiza.
“We have about 1,2 hectares of covo which we sell mostly to the Mutapa vegetable market although we also supply to some of the big supermarkets in the city.
“We make sure that we sell the vegetables at affordable prices so that local vendors can then resell at a profit and make money for their other needs.”
Another group of farmers in the city is running successful pig farming using the artificial insemination technology.
The 100-sow unit produces around 40 to 50 pigs for meat per week, supplying local markets and creating employment for the community.
Said Mr Virimai Kapunza, farm manager at Super Pork Genomics, said: “We are in the process of constructing an artificial insemination laboratory where we will be doing artificial insemination for our sows and for other farmers surrounding us.
“At the moment, we are supplying meat to the Gweru market and other parts of Shurugwi. The community is also benefiting from employment creation as we take our employees from the local communities.
“We work with other farmers who also do piggery, so we train them on the technologies we are using here and we also help with pig semen.”
Food and Nutrition Council analysis, research and monitoring and evaluation manager, Mr Honest Mahlathini, applauded the diverse strategies employed by local farmers, which he said were key to ensuring that communities have access to food.
The diverse range of food produced by Gweru farmers contributed significantly to the city’s food security and nutritional well-being.
“These projects are very important for our populations to have access to foods that are essential in providing macro and micro nutrients required by the body for a healthy life. Besides a healthy life, these projects are essential in reducing cases of malnutrition, therefore ensuring that our population has the food and nutrition security it requires,” said Mr Mahlathini.
The projects are also helping to generate income for farmers and other members of the community to enable them to take care of other needs such as education and health, thus improving their livelihoods.
Online Reporter