At the age of 20 in 2004, Masiyazi’s luck changed when he joined the Rural Financial Services Programme (RFSP). With the support of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in conjunction with the Ministry of Indigenisation, Youth and Economic Empowerment, the programme attracted many youths into savings and credit co-operative initiatives.
Masiyazi received micro-finance services to expand his agricultural enterprises. In a recent interview with The Zimbabwean he said he started small-scale farming of coffee and maize. He opened his first savings account with $330 from the sale of his first crop. He also grows and sells vegetables to the local community, supermarkets and at Sakubva Market in Mutare.
A changed life
His savings have now reached $1,565. He has been able to get a loan to buy more farming equipment. He is presently cultivating a two-hectare plot of land to plant maize. “I am doing well. I have a wife and two children. I am not only able to pay for my child’s primary school fees, but also the secondary school fees for my youngest brother,” he said.
“I also employ youths from my home area, some permanently and others on a part-time basis. During the coffee bean harvest season I hire extra youths and also to weed the maize field. Receiving the loans has changed my life and improved my agricultural enterprises. I now have a truck and have completed my six-room house. Considering that I grew up an orphan, I am proud to say that my life has changed for the better,” he said.
Last Saidi, the programmes officer for IFAD said the main vision of the organisation was to expand the outreach of financial services to rural communities involved in agriculture. “We have three main objectives – to ensure access to financial services, to promote usage of these services and to make them sustainable,” he said.
Challenges
“Successfully involving young people in agriculture is a challenge, especially for those in remote rural areas.
Disempowerment, lack of assets and limited economic prospects are the order of the day. Initially we targeted the whole community of Chigodora, but as more details became available, we realized that women and youths were more inclined to be involved, so we decided to focus on encouraging them,” added Saidi.
The programme offers loans at an attractive interest rate of 3% and due to the high demand RFSP has decided to extend its activities to other districts in Manicaland province.
“We have already established the programme in Nyanga. Among our members there are several young people. We are reaching out to the youth and many of them have already realised profits from their various projects. Before this programme many were unemployed and unproductive,” Saidi said.
“The youths are showing a great interest in the loans and we are giving them the option to form groups in order to fully benefit from this service. The programme has achieved its first two objectives. Our main challenge remains that of ensuring the sustainability of the programme,” he said.
Tarisai Kabudura, youth development officer from the Ministry of Indigenisation, Youth and Economic Empowerment, has challenged youths to take part in economic empowerment programmes because they are the future of the country.
“Young people should join programmes such as RFSP so that they can uplift themselves through various projects financed by loans,” she said. Kabudura also encouraged young people to use loans to get involved in the potentially viable manufacturing sector. The country already has the necessary resources like minerals, crops, timber and others that can all be used to produce a variety of products, utensils, food and sculptures, she said.
Post published in: News