Online Reporter
Maria Chiguvari
A VIBRANT line of Black Australorp indigenous chickens took centre stage at a landmark Indigenous Poultry Field Day at Ruwanike’s Homestead, Guruve District, showcasing a thriving enterprise that is reshaping rural livelihoods.
The homestead, under the stewardship of model farmer Elliot Ruwanika, now runs a 1 200 bird operation supported by a 5 000 egg incubator and a 3 000 egg hatchery.
The ElliPhil Chicken Poultry operation churns out 1 500–2 000 chicks weekly, marking a decisive shift from subsistence to commercially-oriented production.
Speaking at the event, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Prof Dr Obert Jiri, hailed the project as a practical expression of the Presidential Poultry Programme under Rural Development 8.0.
“Indigenous poultry is becoming a true game changer in income generation, nutrition, and community resilience.
“These climate adapted breeds offer natural mitigation against climate shocks,” Prof. Jiri said, adding that national growth rests on the backbone of rural development.
Prof. Jiri praised Mr Ruwanika as a “multiplier, mentor, and vital node in our national food system,” noting that the success story demonstrates the economic and nutritional value of indigenous chicken breeds, especially for households in rural communities.
Philip Ruwanika one of the ElliPhil Chicken Poultry directors, also highlighted challenges such as water scarcity, prompting the ministry to accelerate dam construction, irrigation schemes, and water harvesting technologies like Jojo tanks.
Mechanisation was flagged as essential for scaling up with government facilitating access to affordable machinery—from small scale shellers to tractors—to boost efficiency and attract youth to agriculture.
Looking ahead, Prof Jiri urged farmers across Mashonaland Central to prepare for the summer season, citing the recent wheat success as a template for maize, soyabeans, tobacco, and other crops.
“Ruwanike Homestead is a microcosm of what we want nationwide: diversified, resilient, and market oriented agriculture driven by our people,” he concluded.
Zimbabwe Free Range Poultry Association CEO, Beauty Jiji, says farmers founded the organisation out of a need to develop communities through sustainable free-range poultry production and to market their products in a properly structured manner.
The organisation, which was launched in 2015, also seeks to improve the livelihoods of its members, those who are members of the value-chain and whole communities through the promotion of sustainable free-range chicken and quail.
It also encourages its members to engage consumers with added value in their products and with effective strategies, as well as nurturing ventures as they grow from subsistence to commercial operations.
The field day was supported by the Seed Valley, GFC Group, traditional leadership, and various development partners, all underscoring a collective push toward a prosperous, food secure Zimbabwe.
Mathew Masinge