admin
Fungai Lupande Mashonaland Central Bureau
SHAMVA Agricultural College has turned to ginger and garlic production as an area of specialisation as it moves to produce business-oriented graduates capable of providing home-grown solutions to communities, in line with Education 5.0.
Garlic and ginger have a high concentration of sulphur, zinc, potassium, sulphur and have antimicrobial effects on bacteria, yeast, fungi, parasites and viruses.
Garlic extracts reduce the severity of colds and flu and boost the immune system, while ginger is a strong antioxidant which fights microbes and reduces inflammation.
This made garlic and ginger particularly helpful remedies for the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony on Friday, Shamva Agricultural College principal Mr Johnson Mushandu said after realising the demand for garlic and ginger during the Covid-19 pandemic the college established 0,1 hectare plot of seed plots.
He said the crop, which is seed for commercial production, had a combined expected yield of 1 632 kilogrammes worth US$5 000.
He said the new curriculum was rooted on Vision 2030 and the development of rural communities.
“Our rural communities must develop and establish industries from agriculture,” said Mr Mushandu. “Our training now focuses on five pillars which are training, business and advisory, entrepreneurship, value addition and research.
“Our students can specialise and can either be in the field or in industries production value chains. The curriculum has been standardised across all colleges and this has eradicated demand for students from a specific college.
“The uniform curriculum allows students to transfer across agriculture colleges. It is also equated regionally and aligned with the Southern African Qualification Authority (SAQA) in SADC and internationally.”
Mr Mushandu said the students needed starter packs and financial support to start their own projects and improve their livelihoods.
Officiating at the graduation ceremony, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Deputy Minister Vangelis Haritatos said it was pleasing to witness the injection of another group of youths into the agriculture sector.
“The increase in the number of agriculture practitioners should also translate into improved agriculture production and productivity, especially in rural areas where 70 percent of people derive their livelihood from agriculture,” he said.
“It is important for the graduates to take their position in this important economic sector to sustain food security for the masses. The skills and knowledge you have obtained puts you in a better position to lead in food production for our people.”
Deputy Minister for Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Vangelis Haritatos said the transformation of the agriculture education 2.0 to agriculture education for development 5.0 was one of the milestones in the agriculture and food systems transformation strategy, a key pillar for the National Development Strategy 1.
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Senator Monica Mavhunga said Shamva Agricultural College has become a learning centre for communities in the province.
Online Reporter