The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
Government has partnered a local farmers’ group, Traditional Grains Producers Association (TGPA), to support organic farming in Mhondoro, Mashonaland West Province, to help improve household food security.
Organic farming involves producing crops using fertilisers of organic origin such as compost and green manure to enhance soil fertility.
Speaking to garlic farmers during a field day in Mhondoro last week, TGPA chairperson Mr Basil Nyabadza said rural industrialisation was key to sustainable development.
“If we achieve our development at ward level, especially in rural communities, then as a country we are winning,” he said.
“The President is the team leader and he has cast a vision for us to follow.
“Everyone must be a participant to uplift the majority of the people.” Mr Nyabadza commended Government for partnering the private sector to push developmental goals.
“Here we have a partnership in motion with Government-funded banks – Empower Bank and Women’s Bank (Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank).
“These are new institutions created for the purpose of adopting a new culture to focus on rural development.
“We need to track down our people right to the village.
“This is why we are saying in the private sector, let us support the Presidential Horticulture Programme and rural industrialisation, which is what we must do so that when we run the marathon to Vision 2030. We are all participants.”
Rural farmers, he said, are integral to organic farming and must therefore be supported.
He, however, said authorities should guarantee producers of organic agriculture products a market for their crops.
“We sell seed to them, we follow it through with training and we buy back the produce for both value addition and export, and the villager is an important part of that.”
