Online Reporter
Mthabisi Tshuma
CLOSE to 60 households in Dombodema Ward 20, Bulilima District, have found a sustainable solution to food security challenges through a new nutritional garden. The community project is helping to improve nutrition and food security for dozens of families in the area.
Villagers in Tjompani started the Zwevumba Garden in August 2024 with a half-hectare maize plot. The project has since expanded, and a sugar bean harvest of nearly a tonne is expected between mid-September and early October.
The produce will be sold to supermarkets in Plumtree, providing a vital source of income for the beneficiaries.
At a recent field day, Bulilima legislator Dingumuzi Phuti encouraged residents to transform such initiatives into Village Business Units (VBUs) to ensure their long-term success.
“This concept is very good, and this is what the Government is always preaching to people in rural areas — that they should embrace the Village Business Unit models. Rain-fed farming is no longer reliable, and these irrigation projects are the sustainable solution we have,” said Phuti.
The VBU initiative, launched by President Mnangagwa in 2021, aims to stimulate economic activity and empower rural communities.
Ward 20 Councillor Fortune Gonde also praised the project, highlighting its dual benefits.
“These gardens are excellent — they teach us to work as a team in society. They improve food security and also contribute economically since some of the produce is sold,” he said.
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