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Nqobile Tshili Bulawayo Bureau
A group of patriotic Zimbabweans, some living abroad and some at home, have joined forces to start a Boer goat farming project in Bulilima District, Matabeleland South.
Their aim is to create jobs, improve food security, and contribute to the development of Zimbabwe.
The group, called Dynamic Investment, was born out of casual conversations on social media platforms, where they shared their vision of empowering themselves and their communities. They opened a bank account named Boer goats and started pooling funds for the project.
In May last year, they bought their first batch of Boer goats, and added another one this week. They also decided to diversify their business interests beyond goat farming.
Yesterday, they met in person for the first time, taking advantage of the festive season when some of the diaspora-based members returned home. They discussed their plans and challenges, and invited the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Matabeleland South, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu, to their event.
Chairperson of Dynamic Investment, Sikhumbuzo Mlalazi, who lives in the United Kingdom, said they were inspired by President Mnangagwa’s philosophy that ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo (the nation is built by its citizens).
“We have heard the calls from the leaders of this country that Ilizwe lakhiwa nganikazi balo/ Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo.
“We are the ones who can make our country attractive. Residing in other countries does not mean we should turn back on our country. So, we have seen fit that when we join together as citizens of this country and embark on this project will contribute to job creation and food security,” said Mlalazi.
He said they were a group of 11 people from Bulilima, eight of whom were based in the diaspora, mainly in South Africa. They had managed to buy at least 1200 Boer goats and invested over R500 000.
He said their main challenge was acquiring land for their project, but they were engaging the government for assistance. He also said Dr Ndlovu’s presence at their event was an eye-opener for them, as she highlighted other investment opportunities in the province.
He urged other diaspora-based Zimbabweans to invest in their country, saying it was the safest and most rewarding place to do business.
“There is negativity and fear of the unknown. People think that when you invest in Zimbabwe you will have challenges especially due to the currency issues. But I believe this is the safest country to invest in as you heard the minister say in this country you can do anything you want as long as it is legal,” he said.
“I think this is the safest country to invest in such a business. We need to inspire a lot of people, today we are meeting you guys in the media and it is important to engage and spread the message on why it is critical to come back and invest in the country. It is our duty to turn around the fortunes of this country.”
One of the local members, Colby Ncube, who is a farmer, said their motivation was to end poverty in their communities.
“What really sets us up is the poverty levels in this country and from my general knowledge of physics there is a law of inevitable eventualities. That means if you do something that something will result in something else.
“Here we realised that if we put resources together we would break the backbone of poverty. It will make us progress as people. How? We would create employment, we will buy assets because at the moment we are doing goats but we want to do further than that,” said Ncube.
Ncube said their goal was to uplift and empower their local communities through their project. He said they did not want to rely on jobs, but rather create their own opportunities that can transform their lives and those of others.
“As Dynamic Investment we want to break the backbone of poverty because once you are controlled by poverty, you are enslaved. You won’t have any freedom and this is the driving point that led to create this initiative,” said Ncube.
Another member, Helfer Nkomo, who joined the group through a referral from a family member, said he was passionate about goat farming and saw it as a profitable and rewarding venture. He said there was a high demand for goat meat and breeding stock, both locally and internationally.
“The market for goats is good for breeders and those who are solely looking for meat. For breeding, there is quite an increase in the number of people who are now involved in farming as a business and they are taking that as an alternative. Goat farmers are struggling to supply the local market and there are also international markets particularly in the Arab world and even Angola in southern Africa,” he said.
Minister Ndlovu praised the group for their initiative and assured them of the government’s support. She said Matabeleland South had many investment opportunities, especially in the agriculture sector, and encouraged other Zimbabweans to follow the example of Dynamic Investment.
Online Reporter