Story by Gay Matambo
THE Nourish and Thrive agricultural project, implemented by the government in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the French Embassy, is proving to be a game changer in Masvingo Province.
Funded through this partnership, the initiative has led to the successful establishment of Village Business Units in Mwenezi and Masvingo districts, driving sustainable rural development.
With an objective to transform livelihoods in line with the national vision of an upper middle-income society by 2030, more than 50 villagers from Mutenda village in Masvingo district have nothing but praise for the initiative.
“We are now able to grow cash crops in this garden due to the availability of water, and from what we sell, we now have money to start other projects,” a beneficiary said.
“Since the establishment of this project, life has changed for the better, and some of the farmers here can now afford to take their children to school,” a community member said.
“We wish for our garden to be expanded such that we are able to increase our yields because we have noticed that this garden is transforming our lives,” a farmer said.
The Nourish and Thrive Project also seeks to foster long-term sustainability in food systems and build resilience among rural communities in drought-prone areas.
“Through this project, we are reaching over 38 000 direct participants and 160 000 indirect beneficiaries across Masvingo and Mwenezi districts. This includes 15 000 pregnant women and their children under two years old who are receiving vital nutrition-sensitive support to strengthen care groups and social protection measures,” FAO, Deputy Representative in Zimbabwe, Mr Louis Muhigirwa said.
France’s top envoy to Zimbabwe, Ambassador Mr Paul Barets, pledged his government’s commitment to ensuring food security in rural communities.
“The French community made a donation of one million euros to support agricultural projects in communities that are in the dry parts of the country. I came to see if the funds were useful, and I must say, after the visit, I am very convinced that it was not for nothing. I was very impressed by the quality of the garden and crops,” he said.
The project aligns with the government’s deliberate efforts, which seek to assist rural communities in shifting from subsistence farming to market-oriented agriculture.
“We appreciate the intervention, which is benefiting rural communities in these two administrative districts. We hope the project will be rolled out in all the districts in the province. The project is supporting value addition and beneficiation, food preservation for worst-case scenarios like the El Niño-induced droughts. There’s training, capacitation of farmers so that they learn more, meet and exchange ideas, and that leads to sustainable agriculture,” Permanent Secretary for Masvingo Provincial and Devolution Affairs, Dr Pazvakavambwa said.
The government is on a drive to establish village business units in all 35 000 villages across the country as Zimbabwe journeys towards an upper-middle-income society by 2030.
