Chronicle Editor
Mkhululi Ncube, Chronicle Reporter
THE rainy season brings joy to many people in different ways and for Mangwe villagers, the season has brought with it plenty of amacimbi which people are now harvesting.
The natural delicacy for many is already in abundance in many areas of Mangwe District after the area received early rains.
In Makorokoro area, leafless mopane trees tell a story of yet another great harvest.
Some early birds in Makorokoro Village have already started spending time in the bush harvesting and sorting the delicacy in preparation for delicious meals and selling.
Mrs Sicino Ncube from Malogwe Village said it was a pleasant surprise to most villagers as the mopane worms made an early arrival after a long absence.
“It is promising to be a good season in terms of amacimbi harvesting. They had disappeared from our trees over the years but this year God has blessed us. They are already overwhelming the mopane trees as you can see that a number of trees are already leafless. This is happening so early into the rainy season and as it continues to rain, we will have plenty of them,” she said.
Mrs Ncube said their greatest challenge is marketing the delicacy as they have nowhere to sell them for good returns.
She said people from other areas where there are no mopane worms take advantage of locals through barter trade.
Mrs Ncube said villagers part with amacimbi in exchange for groceries and old clothes.
“There is a need for Government to come up with a policy which could result in a better way of managing this God-given resource. Since Government is talking about rural industries, something must be done with amacimbi so that villagers can harvest and sell to a Government body which will do the rest of the marketing. By doing that we will be able to send our children to school and develop our area,” she said.
Gogo Samukele Ncube said she already has a 20-litre bucket full of amacimbi which she would be selling to raise money for her upkeep.
She said harvesting amacimbi needs skill and great patience.
“I am too old to farm my garden so harvesting amacimbi is much easier for me because there is not much hard work to do. I have been doing this for years so I have all the experience of how to do it. I am aiming to harvest as much as I can so that I sell them to injiva who will be coming for the holidays.
Most of them know that I have a good product so they will be buying them so that they take them to South Africa when the holidays end,” she said.
Village head Jiji said amacimbi are their “own gold” and they provide vital nutrients to villagers during this time of the year.
He said some are able to dry them and transport them to South Africa where they fetch better prices compared to what they get locally.
“Amacimbi yisitshebo esihle and they are highly recommended by health officials. This year promises to be a good one for those who love amacimbi. A number of people have already started harvesting them for drying so that they eat them when they are out of season or sell them,” said the village head.
“During the past years, we have had problems of outsiders who come to our area and harvest in violation of rules we would have put. As a community we do not want outsiders to harvest in our area. They must only come to buy at designated places because some of them do not respect our culture. They do as they please which is unfortunate.”
He said they have traditional rites that they perform which go hand in hand with harvesting amacimbi.
Chief Hobodo said amacimbi was a gift from God to his area but warned that trees will be overwhelmed.— Follow @themkhust
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