The District Development Coordinator for Hwange, Mr Tilton Jamera has applauded the intervention by the Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project in Hwange. The project has set up the Village Business Units (VBUs) as part of efforts to promote access to clean, safe water as well as to promote the commercialization of crops from the one-hectare nutrition gardens. Speaking on the sidelines of a recent IFAD mission to the project, Mr Jamera said, ‘Hwange has been known to be a dry area. The VBUs have come as a game changer as we note the emergence of green belts. We have had development partners coming in but for nutrition proposes. But now we are now moving towards commercialization hence the need to support the farmers, especially in the marketing aspect. We are already seeing the positive results as the project has just started implementation. There is need to a multi-stakeholder approach to support the farmers.”
He added, ‘I wish to applaud our farmers for heeding the call by SACP to participate in the project. What is happening in this garden, is akin to grabbing with four hands. It is something that you cannot just call a buy in of the idea of what we want to do under Vision 2030. It an indication that our farmers, community and all government departments want to improve the livelihoods of everyone without leaving anyone or nay place behind.”
The kind of drive and enthusiasm shown by the VBUs in Hwange District needs not only the representatives of the groups here but also, some political will. I recommend that the VBUs need further sensitization where we invite our political leaderships, traditional leaders, captains of industry, all government departments and the business community to have an appreciation and tour so that they see the work done by the farmers.
The Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project established 13 village business units in Hwange, pert of the 100 VBUs that are being set up in eighteen districts under the project
