Story by Wellington Makonese
THE push for rural industrialisation is gathering pace in Midlands Province, with Village Business Units (VBUs) helping communities transition from subsistence farming to commercial agricultural production.
In Silobela, the initiatives are creating employment opportunities, improving household incomes and strengthening local economic activity through agriculture-based enterprises.
At the centre of the transformation is the Mbanga Village Business Unit, where farmers are using modern production methods to turn agriculture into a sustainable business venture.
The project is equipped with a solar-powered borehole and drip irrigation infrastructure, enabling year-round farming and reducing reliance on seasonal rainfall.
“We are a group of 35 farmers and we rotate our crops. We currently have 1 500 cabbages, while tomatoes and onions are already being supplied to the market. We have received training on production and marketing so that we become businesspeople,” said one farmer.
Another farmer said the initiative had expanded market opportunities for local producers.
“We want to thank President Mnangagwa for this life-changing programme. We are now producing for a larger market and can compete with other producers,” the farmer said.
Community members say the programme is having a tangible impact on livelihoods.
“The production is changing the way we live, with women and youths now contributing to household incomes,” a villager said.
Agriculture Business Advisory Officer for Kwekwe District, Ms Locadia Mutonhori said the model is designed to promote commercial agriculture and sustainable income generation.
“Each unit comprises groups of 30 members operating on 1.25 hectares, divided into a nutrition garden and a larger section for commercial crops such as tomatoes and cabbages. The idea is to empower communities, particularly women, many of whom depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, and the programme is already yielding positive results,” she said.
Ward 19 Councillor Cleto Chifana said the initiative was benefiting thousands of residents in the area.
“As local leadership, we are pleased to have a programme that keeps our people busy and involved in production. The ward has about 2 000 people benefiting from eight Village Business Units, and the impact is evident,” he said.
Government says the programme is playing an important role in rural development, employment creation and economic growth.
Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Owen Ncube, said the projects were delivering broad-based benefits to communities.
“The Government of Zimbabwe, under the leadership of His Excellency President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, has installed more than 200 solarised boreholes, including those supporting Village Business Units. These projects are enabling villagers to create employment for one another and produce goods that are sold in urban markets as we advance towards Vision 2030,” he said.
Under the Presidential Rural Development Programme, Government plans to establish 35 000 Village Business Units nationwide, a move expected to accelerate rural industrialisation and support the country’s drive towards an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
