Bulawayo Farmer Revolutionizes Agriculture with Hydroponics Farming
Bulawayo youth Phathisani Vundla has taken the agricultural industry by storm with his innovative approach to farming through hydroponics.
Coming from a background where he believed that vast amounts of land were necessary for successful commercial farming, Vundla was pleasantly surprised to discover hydroponics through the Urban Resilience Building project implemented by DanChurchAid (DCA) in partnership with World Food Programme (WFP) with funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
Minimal Space
Using minimal land and labour, Vundla has been able to grow high-quality crops in his backyard using hydroponic farming methods. Not only is this approach more environmentally sustainable, but Vundla is also able to recycle water and eliminate any carbon footprint from synthetic fertilisers.
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For Vundla, hydroponics seemed like uncharted territory in the Zimbabwean market, since some of the components required were not always locally available. However, he overcame this by improvising with locally sourced materials and improving the design on his own.
Growth on the Horizon
Despite early scepticism regarding the hydroponic-grown produce, the market response has been phenomenal, with high demand for his lettuce and strawberries. Vundla is now planning to expand his offerings to include broccoli, tomatoes and peppers.
With his eye on creating a successful business, Vundla has been proactive in attending farmers’ conventions and other business platforms to showcase his hydroponics farming skills. He believes that hydroponics can be a side hustle for those in need of extra income or those without land.
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Benefits of Hydroponics
The benefits of hydroponics have not been lost on Vundla either. He uses purely organic nutrient solutions and controls the environment of the hydroponic farm with a greenhouse and bio features.
As Vundla expands his operation, he hopes to teach more youth the skills they need to successfully enter the hydroponics farming industry.
Currently, Vundla’s operation may be limited by space, but he is committed to saving up to rent a bigger space and become one of the leading organic crop producers in the country.
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Towards Sustainability
His dream is to have a conversation starter and inspire others to take up hydroponics farming as part of the movement towards sustainable and healthy living.
In conclusion, Phathi Vundla’s hydroponics farm in Bulawayo is a testament to the benefits of innovation and creativity in agriculture. His unique approach to commercial farming is both environmentally sustainable and profitable, and has the potential to influence the future of the Zimbabwean food industry.
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