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DISTRICT Agric Extension Officer Mr Tapiwa Chagwesha has commended stakeholders partnering the Government in improving health and nutrition in Chipinge district.
Mr Chagwesha said improving health and nutrition is one major issue raised in Zim-Asset hence more projects should be put in place to achieve it.
He said this during a tour organised by THE JOHANITTER, a non-governmental organisation contemplating Government initiative of improving health and nutrition in Chipinge district.
The project has so far assisted a total of 25 dry wards in the district and vows to improve diet in the poor community by introducing self-sustainable projects in their community.
Last week the organisation held its two field days at Gwama village and Ngaone area in Chipinge West where villagers showcased progress made in nutrition gardens which were funded by the organisation.
The organisation introduced homestead gardening where they will practise hole-and-sake gardening and this has proved to be a success as villagers are now able to access market gardening produces in their dry areas.
Mr Chagwesha said: “We would like to appreciate what this organisation did in partnering the Government in promoting diet in areas prone to drought. We hope this project will extend to many parts of the areas which are also experiencing droughts because it proves to be a success in fighting diseases such as malnutrition owing to its cost effectiveness,” he said.
Most villagers interviewed by The Manica Post showed commitment to the project and vowed to continue with the project to overcome their plights.
Tsitsi Masuka of Gwama Village said she appreciated what The Johanniter is doing in their community by introducing easy market-gardening methods.
“We appreciated the knowledge we receive from this organisation because it makes life easier for us.
“We were facing difficulties of practising green gardening in our community because of the soil and weather, but now it shows that this idea of introducing small gardens is a success in mitigating our problems. So far we are now able to improve diet and feed our family from these gardens.
“We appeal to them to drill boreholes for easy irrigation of our gardens,” she added.
The Johanitter projects co-ordinator, Mr Andrew Doka, said Johanitter is there to complement Government programmes of improving health and nutrition in the country.
He said their organisation is there to help the poor community so that they can be self sufficient in food security.
“The idea of homestead gardening in form of hole-gardening was borrowed from Swaziland where the land is not conducive for planting. We introduce this idea in areas where people receive low rainfall and teach them how to grow crops and improve nutrition. We will continue to help these communities until they achieve the targeted goals,” he said.
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