The story of Mr Goerge Muchena of Chitora Irrigation Scheme in Mutoko is reminiscent of a journey a thousand miles that begins with a single step. Mr Muchena is a horticulture farmer at the scheme which grows okra, carrots, butternut, cabbage, fine beans, green mealies and tomatoes.

Mr Muchena is one the six farmers that volunteered to take part in a demonstration plot supported by the Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project (SACP). The project supplied the farmers with 50kgs of Compound C fertilizer, another 50kg of Ammonium Nitrate and Belt, a type of pesticide. The project also supported the farmer with extension advice on off-season cropping as well as introducing climate smart initiatives such as tied ridges and deep ploughing. Additionally, the project introduced a high yielding tomato variety, Trinity. The farmer was further advised on the use of organic manure and foliage fertilizer.

Mr Muchena planted his 0.06-hectare tomato crop on the 11 of November 2023. Mr Muchena planted 950 plants of the Trinity variety.

The farmer harvested 6000kg of tomatoes which he supplied to Choppiest Supermarkets at the price of US$0.70 which earned him US$4200. His costs of production amounted to US$1200 and he further deducted fixed costs of US$550, leaving him with a net profit of US$2250.

After the successful demonstration by SACP, Mr Muchena planted the second crop in February 2024 and increased the hectarage planted from 0.06 to 0.5 using proceeds from the first crop. Mr Muchena used $1750 from his first crop to finance the second crop. The farmer went on to plant 8000 plants in the extended plot, sold 2000kgs of the crop every week for 12 weeks. He managed to make an income of US$14 400.From the income that he earned, Mr Muchena managed to buy a water pump, a water engine and 200 metres of irrigation pipes.

 Due to the positive and profitable outcome of the first crop, famers were enlightened and 7 more farmers adopted the climate-smart tomato production techniques from SACP. Each of these 7 farmers also did 0.5 ha of tomatoes using SACP climate-smart technologies. A field day was held on the second crop and 7 farmers who adopted the SACP concept participated in the competition. Mr Muchena emerged as the winner.

The guest of honour at the field day, Mashonaland East Provincial Director for the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Mr Leonard Munamati urged farmers to adopt high yielding tomatoes varieties such as Trinity. He also encouraged famers in the irrigation schemes to use water efficiently and urged farmers to embrace group marketing. He also highlighted that Government was in the process of introducing village business units where farmers would utilize water from solarized boreholes to produces crops for sale.

Farmers were encouraged by the potential of the Trinity variety in terms of yield potential, disease resistance, fast growth rate and short time taken to maturity. This summer the Mr Muchena has planted a third crop on a 0.5ha plot. The crop is in good condition and at early fruiting stage. 14 other farmers at the irrigation scheme have adopted the Trinity variety as of October 2024.