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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Zimbabweans in the diaspora have started responding to the Government’s call for them to be actively involved in the country’s economic recovery initiatives which are inclined at achieving an upper-middle income economy by the year 2030.
Among other things, increasing agricultural productivity is one of the Government’s major economic pillars, where support has started trickling in from various players.
This has seen a South African based couple, Mr Anthony and Mrs Zandile Denga recently donating horticulture seed varieties worth R100 000 to small-holder farmers in the Matabeleland provinces.
Through their company, Africa Grain and Seeds Association, the couple has distributed beetroot, cabbage, carrot, onion, butternut, tomato, and rape seeds to beneficiaries selected through the Department of Social Welfare in liaison with Agritex.
It is understood that AGS project seeks to ensure that at least over 50 000 people in different communities use rain-fed farming or water harvesting methods in farming to improve agricultural productivity and ensure food security is guaranteed in the country.
In a recent interview, Mrs Denga, who was born in Plumtree said she was inspired by Dr Akinwumi Adesina President of the African Development Bank “Africa’s pathway out of poverty” to want to actively participate in programs that enhance food and nutrition security.
“The seeds have a Pan-African vision. Our aim is to create an agriculture network across Africa where these communities can trade and sustain themselves,” she said.
“We believe if we play our small roles in making a change, in the next 10 years AGS will have empowered over 100 million people throughout Africa”.
AGS founder and chairman, Mr Denga who comes from Murewa, also called on the private sector to join hands and play their part in supporting community projects that make a difference in ordinary people’s livelihoods.
He said some of the beneficiaries include, polytechnic colleges, universities, secondary schools in Matabeleland North and South province, irrigation projects in Gwanda, Bulilima, and Esigodini districts, and Murewa communities.
The seeds, he said were of South African origin and that they guarantee high output production that will help improve issues of financial stability among the beneficiaries.
Mr Denga said the donation was a boost to the Government which is already working with other partners to increase productivity in the agriculture sector.
Already, the Government’s Pfumvudza/Intwasa climate-proofing programme is expected to bear fruitful results during the 2020/2021 summer cropping season.
The AGS donations were facilitated through a function recently held at Sacred Heart School in Esigodini and coincided also with a Zoom launch meeting attended by Umzingwane Member of Parliament, Cde Levy Mayihlome.
At the Zoom launch, international companies expressed their commitment to the country and the members at large.
Mr Daniel Da Silva who is the Managing Director of 24 Solutions Telecommunication and Technology, a company that partnered with AGS for farming technology awareness said they were looking at more people-driven and value addition projects.
He said they will soon be holding seminars to educate people on how to use technology and to make use of it to its full potential.
“Through technology and innovation, we aim to tailor solutions and packages to best suit communities with the best farming techniques,” he said.
Bongani Ndlovu