Online Reporter
Elita Chikwati in MUZARABANI
UNIVERSITY of Zimbabwe vice chancellor, Professor Paul Mapfumo, has challenged colleges to spearhead the development of technologies and innovations that improve livelihoods, boost industrialisation and foster national development.
Prof Mapfumo made the call when he officiated at a sorghum field day in Muzarabani on Monday.
The institution is empowering farmers through the Vaka Nyika Seeds Pvt Ltd, a start-up company under the University of Zimbabwe’s Future Grains for Africa Programme, which was funded by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education through the Vice Chancellor’s Fund.
The programme is meant to develop and commercialise climate-resilient crop varieties aimed at addressing the adverse effects of climate change and reducing food insecurity in low rainfall areas.
This is part of efforts by the institution to promote heritage-based education 5.0 in line with NDS 1 and now NDS 2.
Under the programme, farmers in Muzarabani were contracted as out growers to produce sorghum seed.
The university provided seed, fertilisers and advisory services.
Agritex business advisory officers also worked closely with the contracted farmers.
In an interview, Prof Mapfumo said the programme was a direct response to President Mnangagwa’s call to the education sector to implement a transformative education of a heritage-based education 5.0.
“This is an education that seeks to produce goods and services, an education that seeks to embrace science, technology and innovation so that we can accelerate our knowledge production and accelerate our means to change the lives of our people so that we can usher communities to prosperity.
“What we are doing as the University of Zimbabwe is to get out of the lecture room, go to the communities, carry the knowledge of science, technology and innovation. We demystify the science, the technology and the research by working with communities, “ he said.
The university has established Vaka Nyika Holdings, the parent company of Vaka Nyika (VN) Seeds.
“Through VN Seeds, we gather our breeders. The technology comes from the seed technology and the biotechnology by our breeders, biotechnologists and research specialists to breed a new type of seed for traditional grains,” he said.
The company is also breeding pearl millet and finger millet that gives the country resilience to climate change.
The programme started in Muzarabani, Mashonaland Central province last year and is spreading to other provinces including Mashonaland East and West provinces.
“For our industry to grow, we need such new companies. We also need raw materials that we produce so that we can produce, process, value-add new goods and services. And that is what the university is doing, “ he said.
Speaking on behalf of ARDAS provincial director Mr Misheck Chikotomere, acting deputy director, Mr Elias Kudyanyemba urged farmers to practice agro-tailoring.
“This is the growing of varieties which suit particular agro-ecological regions’ climatic conditions. We are encouraging farmers in Muzarabani to grow traditional grains, which tolerate the climatic conditions here.
“For this project, our agricultural business advisors and officers are working hand-in-glove with the university to mitigate the effects of climate change.
“We are promoting traditional grains to promote rural industrialisation. We promote consumption of this nutritious food. By growing traditional grains, farmers are guaranteed household food security while the surplus is for sale.
The university company has since started the value addition of crops like sorghum.
UZ executive director, research, innovation and industrialisation, Professor Florence Mutambanengwe said the programme was benefiting 52 farmers.
“We had set a target of 245 hectares but the response from farmers was overwhelming, with some ending up buying their own seed.
“We started off by calling for research through the Vice-Chancellor’s Challenge Research Programme.
Researchers from the Faculty of Agriculture, Environment and Food Systems came up with a proposal on breeding of sorghum, maize and finger millet.
“The beauty about Education 5.0 is that we are really seeing into the future and identifying crops with bright prospects given that climate change is here to stay and last.
“We are taking people into action. We started with growing traditional grains at our Agro-Industrial Park. We later started an out grower scheme of seed multiplication in drier areas like Muzarabani. The seed is now registered and commercially available.
“We are ready to face the vagaries of climate change through this initiative,” she said.
Project beneficiary Mr Sametrick Chizeya said the crop performed well despite dry conditions.
“We are happy we have a good variety that can do well even under low rainfall. The crop is tolerant to dry conditions. The university will buy from us and we are guaranteed a market,” he said.
