The Sunday Mail
Tendai Rupapa in BINDURA
Agric4She patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa last Friday came face-to-face with the success of her empowerment programme at a field day in Masembura, Bindura, Mashonaland Central province, where she joined hundreds of women in harvesting an assortment of crops they grew using inputs she distributed.
The field day was held at the homestead of Mrs Sarah Kahwamatera in Gunyere village.
She grew tomatoes, cabbages, wheat, maize, traditional grains and okra.
Mrs Kahwamatera, whose husband is supportive of her farming venture, praised the First Lady for giving them a chance to venture into horticulture.
Women harvest cabbages during a field day at Mrs Sarah Kahwamatera’s homestead during a field day yesterday
“I thank our mother, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, for giving us seeds and all the necessary inputs for horticultural crops. This will uplift us as we will not sit on our laurels and wait for handouts from our husbands. We want to be wise women who do not just sleep. Amai has awoken us and we are now able to venture into farming just like men. She gave us inputs last year, came and planted with us and now she is back for harvesting. Our mother teaches by example and we follow after her. When she tells us to farm, she also enters the fields with us,” she said.
A hands-on person who leads by example, Dr Mnangagwa won the hearts of many with her knowledge in farming activities.
She helped in harvesting cabbages and tomatoes, and grading them.
They cut some tomatoes and cabbages for drying in a solar drier, adding value and for future use.
AGRIC4SHE patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, Mrs Sarah Kahwamatera and other women grade tomatoes during a field day in Mashonaland Central yesterday
The First Lady, joined by community members, also helped in shelling groundnuts and led in the planting of fruit trees in the orchard.
She toured the place to see agricultural products that were being showcased by women farmers in the province. They included traditional grains, maize, cotton, yams, sunflowers, cassava, groundnuts, round nuts, sugar beans, cabbages, cauliflower, oranges and lemons.
Mrs Kahwamatera said she has ready markets for her produce in Bindura.
Dr Mnangagwa later addressed the community at Maravanyika Primary School, where she humbly asked the people to vote for President Mnangagwa and ZANU PF in the forthcoming elections so that she may also retain her position and continue rolling out projects for the people.
AGRIC4SHE patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa drying tomatoes in a solar drier for value addition and future use during a field day at Mrs Sarah Kahwamatera’s homestead in Mashonaland Central yesterday
She called for the participation of young people in farming projects to ensure they remain gainfully engaged and find no time to abuse drugs.
“I am happy to be here with you as we discuss the issue of farming by women. As patron of Agric4She, I saw it fit to introduce field days, where we reward those who excelled. I was happy with what I saw at the homestead of Mrs Kahwamatera, who works hard and produces an assortment of crops. Even hunger is kept at bay. I was gratified that her husband is very supportive and helps her farm through Agric4She. Last year, I handed over inputs and chemicals to women in both rural and urban areas. You did me proud madzimai and showed that, as women, we can also do it,” she said.
Added Dr Mnangagwa: “Pfumvudza curbs climate change and if done properly, we attain high yields. I shall humbly request the Ministry of Agriculture so that we are given light machines like the direct seeder and tractors under mechanisation4she so that we keep our backs intact, because, as women, we handle all the work at home. To those who did not participate in Agric4She last year, I urge you to do so this year, moshanda muri zvikwata zvikwata muchiita Pfumvudza for high yields and I will bring all the inputs.
“We are now in the cold season in which wheat is grown and I urge you to grow wheat. As a way of development, with this wheat, you can even start your bakeries. At our homesteads, let us have nutrition gardens, where we grow vegetables. Agric4She has many parts and you will fit in any of these. As we do our farming, let us involve our children so that they do not spend time taking drugs.”
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa and other women shelling groundnuts during a field day in Mashonaland Central yesterday
The mother of the nation had words of advice for those in attendance. She denounced violence as the country nears election time.
“We have reached election time and voting is pencilled in for August 23 this year,” she said.
“We do not want violence. Bludgeoning one another and fighting are not good. How will you look at each other on August 24 if you injure one another?
“I humbly urge you to vote for President Mnangagwa and ZANU PF peacefully. If you do so, it means I retain my office and continue rolling out projects. We want to move together in harmony. True, primary elections were held and there are some who emerged victorious, but we all belong to ZANU PF and have to work together. In 2018, you voted in President Mnangagwa and said you wanted to see the bride behind and you saw me. This girl never rests as she spearheads empowerment projects for everyone. I shall continue with these projects, especially for women and youths. My wish is to preoccupy our children with projects so that they do not take drugs, but work,” she said.
Mrs Betty Musikavanhu from Mazowe, who came out tops, received a wheelbarrow, ammonium nitrate fertiliser, Compound D fertiliser, a knapsack sprayer, wheat seed, ox-drawn ripper tine, maize seed, fruit trees, a shovel and a pressure pump.
In second place was Mrs Tarisai Muzerengi from Guruve. Mrs Dorcas Ziki from Muzarabani was third while Mrs Moreblessing Rabvu took fourth position. In fifth place was Mrs Rosaria Rudheya from Shamva district.
All the five winners and the host farmer won similar prizes.
All women present were given agricultural lime, courtesy of the First Lady.
Mrs Theodore Ndoro thanked the First Lady for her tireless efforts to empower communities.
“She is bringing in tangible benefits for the people. We thought horticulture was a preserve of the elite, but we are discovering that everybody can do it given the appropriate seeds and knowledge. Our mother’s love is bountiful and unconditional,” she said.
Similar words were echoed by Mrs Martha Sharai, a widow.
“My life was miserable before our mother’s intervention. She has empowered all the women in a big way and we do not want to embarrass her. We want to repay her with hard work. She is encouraging us to work and raise our families in a good manner. May god bless her,” she said.
After seeing others win big and harvesting high yields, Mrs Rosemary Chitando said she rued why she did not participate in Agric4She last year and said she will now be among the top participants.
“Agric4She is the best. I am going to participate from now going forward because, apart from the prizes, we get somewhere to start and knowledge to farm. Our mother is doing the best for the whole nation and we wish her a long life filled with happiness so that she continues with her servant leadership that benefits us. Amai has pleaded for our vote in a humble way. We will surely vote resoundingly for President ED Mnangagwa. We want Amai to remain the mother of the nation because she is initiating a lot of empowerment projects for us,” she said.
