Dadirai Chinhete, 25, now earns an average of $100 per week through market gardening on her two hectare plot. She supports her family of six, including her parents. Her success was achieved with the support of a local NGO, The Zimbabwe Agricultural Development Centre (ZADC).
Established in 2009 to serve and drive socio-economic transformation in the rural agricultural sector, ZADC has offices in all the country’s provinces.
“We provide holistic agricultural support services to small scale farmers, focusing mainly on previously disadvantaged farmers including women who do subsistence farming,” said Mathew Kutsarange, the Centre’s Development Manager in a recent interview.
“The organisation also aims to develop strategies to address inequality, create opportunities for small-scale farmers to participate in the value chain, provide access to markets and foster sustainability in the agricultural sector,” he added.
Financial support
Since its inception, the major focus has been on a turnaround strategy to assist young farmers who lack skills, financial support and access to markets.
“In our five years of operation, we have supported over 100 small-scale commercial farmers in Manicaland alone. Over 540 seasonal and permanent jobs were created. We support most of these farms in ‘on-farm’ infrastructure development, input, skills development and training,” Kutsarange explained.
“We realise that there are tremendous milestones that can be achieved through the development of this sector.”
Chinhete’s journey started in 2010. “I saved a little money selling tomatoes door-to-door, but still thought of finding a job in the city,” she said. Initially the harvest was poor and she nearly gave up. In 2011, the ZADC assisted her with seeds and irrigation and created the turning point in her life.
Contract labour
She hired youths from her village to help with the work and paid them on a contractual basis. Production levels increased and she managed to buy additional irrigation equipment from the profits earned.
“I used to send 600kg of tomatoes to the market, but now I send up to 1 tonne,” Chinhete said. In addition to tomatoes, she is also growing beans and markets her produce mainly in Mutare and Harare.
She is the sole bread winner of her family and is responsible for their basic needs. She is even able to send her two young brothers to secondary school, a younger sister to primary school, and to provide school uniforms and additional books.
Very proud
Her parents are very proud of her. “She is a shining star. She takes care of all our needs. I am proud of my daughter,” said her mother Francisca.
“As a family, she has brought smiles to us. We encourage all other young women out there to concentrate on farming. There are good yields if one is as committed as my daughter,” said her father Zachias.
“It’s like a dream come true. I want to thank the ZADC for giving me the opportunity. I owe them gratitude for what I have achieved,” Chinhete said.
“They assisted by linking me with established fresh produce buyers in order to obtain competitive prices. Through their market linkageprogramme, they facilitated dialogue between commercial fresh produce buyers and myself to negotiate and agree on competitive prices.”
Diversifying
Despite the challenges of erratic water supply, limited and expensive transport and competitive prices in the market, Chinhete has managed to produce a bumper crop year after year.
She revealed big plans to expand her production and to own a truck to ferry her crops to the market. “My goals are clear. I was recently recommended to be a ZADC representative for the village and act as a role model and mentor for the youth,” she said.
She is also considering venturing into other high value crops such as eggplant and pepper farming as part of diversifying her production.
Post published in: Gender Equality