Young Farmer in Bulawayo Leads the Way in Horticulture Farming
A Bulawayo young horticulture farmer is taking advantage of new policies and technologies in the agriculture sector to earn income. One such farmer is Mncedisi Ndlovu a 32-year-old who runs a small-scale vegetable farm in Kingsdale, a suburb of Bulawayo.
Ndlovu started his farming business in February 2022, after graduating from Esigodini Agricultural College. He said he was inspired by the opportunities he saw in the local market.
“I realised that there was a high demand for fresh and quality vegetables in Bulawayo, especially from the middle-class consumers who are health-conscious and willing to pay more for organic produce,” he said.
What’s Growing On!
Ndlovu grows carrots, beetroot and lettuce on his one-hectare plot, using drip irrigation and planting crops on ridges to conserve water and make harvesting easier. He also sprays fungicides and pesticides to control pests and diseases.
He markets his produce through social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook, where he posts pictures and prices of his vegetables. He sells mostly to vendors, but he has also supplied some restaurants and supermarkets in the city.
Ndlovu said he makes an average of $500 per month from his farm, which is enough to cover his expenses and save some money for future investments. He plans to expand his farm and diversify his crops to include tomatoes, onions and cabbage.
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Growing Challenges
As a farmer, he said he has faced some challenges in this region, such as power cuts that affected his irrigation system and caused him to lose 70% of his crops last year. He said he is looking for alternative sources of energy, such as solar panels, to mitigate this problem.
He also said he would like to see more support from the government and other stakeholders for young farmers like him, especially in terms of access to loans, inputs and equipment.
“There is a need to have easy access to loans for young entrepreneurs, because farming requires a lot of capital. You need to buy seeds, fertilisers, chemicals, pipes, pumps and so on. It’s not easy to get these things without credit,” he says.
The horticulture farmer also said there is a need for more training and mentorship for young farmers, as well as opportunities for value addition and processing of their produce.
Advise for the Young
“I would advise young people interested in pursuing a career in farming to have a mentor that will guide them on this journey. Farming is not easy, but it is rewarding. You have to be hands-on and be prepared to work 24 hours. It’s tough but interesting,” he said.
Ndlovu is one of the many young farmers who are leading the charge in Zimbabwe’s agriculture revival. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), agriculture plays a crucial role in the lives of Zimbabweans in rural and urban areas. It provides employment and income for 60-70% of the population, supplies 60% of the raw materials required by the industrial sector and contributes 40% of total export earnings.
The government has adopted policies to attract the young and educated to farming while at the same time luring back many white farmers who had relocated to other countries following the seizure of their land about two decades ago. The government has also introduced a programme called “Pfumvudza” (meaning “Master Farmers’ Revolution”), which provides financing subsidies to young farmers.
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Conservation Techniques
Pfumvudza is a climate-proof concept that leverages “conservation farming techniques to make the most of small pieces of land”. The government has also been supporting backyard farming as a way of enhancing food security and nutrition at household level.
Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector is showing signs of recovery and resilience, the efforts of young farmers like Ndlovu who are embracing new opportunities and challenges in their field are applauded. They are proving that farming can be a viable and rewarding career choice for the youth.
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