marble nkomo
Money is in the soil, pursue agriculture and build your future
DEAR students, agriculture is not a backward career.
It is one of the most powerful and practical skills you can ever acquire.
In a world where jobs are scarce and competition is high, technical and vocational education gives you something priceless, a skill you can use to create your own income.
The land is a gift. It produces food, employment and long-term wealth. Every day people must eat.
That means agriculture will never go out of demand.
When you gain skills in farming, you are not just learning to grow crops or raise animals, you are learning how to run a business.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) equips you with:
l Practical, hands-on skills
l Entrepreneurial knowledge
l Business management abilities
l Self-reliance and confidence
l Community development opportunities
Agriculture empowers you to start small and grow steadily.
A small poultry project can expand into a large broiler enterprise. A vegetable garden can grow into a commercial horticulture business supplying supermarkets, schools and markets. A few goats today can become a thriving livestock project tomorrow.
In Zimbabwe, agriculture is strongly supported within the Heritage-Based Curriculum, which promotes innovation, productivity and industrialisation.
This means students are encouraged not only to pass exams but to develop practical skills that can transform their lives.
Why agriculture is a smart career choice
l It creates employment for yourself and others
l It contributes to national food security
l It allows you to work close to your community
l It builds generational wealth
l It supports sustainable development
Many successful entrepreneurs began with farming. They understood that wealth does not only come from offices, it also comes from the soil.
Opportunities you can explore
l Poultry Production
Broilers and layers provide quick returns. With proper management, poultry projects can generate income within weeks.
l Horticulture (Vegetable Production)
Tomatoes, onions, leafy vegetables and other crops are always in demand. Irrigation farming can provide income throughout the year.
l Goat and Cattle Rearing
Livestock farming is a long-term investment. Goats reproduce quickly, while cattle can be sold for beef or dairy production.
l Fish Farming
Aquaculture is a growing industry. With proper training, fish farming can become a profitable venture.
l Beekeeping (Honey Production)
Honey is highly valuable for food and medicinal purposes. Beekeeping requires small space and low maintenance but offers good returns.
The future is green
Agriculture is no longer about hoes and hard labour only. It now involves:
l Technology
l Irrigation systems
l Agribusiness management
l Value addition and packaging
l Market research
The future belongs to young people who are innovative, hardworking and willing to use their hands and minds together.
Do not underestimate the power of the soil. When you choose agriculture, you choose opportunity. You choose sustainability. You choose prosperity.
The future is green and it can start with you.
Dr Manners Msongelwa is an author, teacher and youth coach. He can be contacted on +263 771 019 392
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter