Story Providence Maraneli
THE Government’s rural industrialisation programme is gathering pace in Matabeleland South, where women in Gwanda North are transforming traditional grains into commercial products that are improving household incomes and strengthening community livelihoods.
Communities in the Mtshazo area are embracing value addition after receiving support from development partner Brethren in Christ Compassionate and Development Services (BIC-CDS), enabling them to process traditional crops into market-ready products.
At Sibona Village, a women’s group led by Gogo Madeline Nyathi has established a traditional grains processing enterprise that produces a nutritious porridge concentrate from sorghum and groundnuts.
The group now supplies schools and surrounding communities, turning subsistence farming into a viable business.
“As a group, we process traditional grains into a nutritional porridge concentrate and sell to schools and communities,” Gogo Nyathi stated.
Another women’s group, led by Gogo Lebukgang Mkwananzi, has ventured into groundnut value addition, with members saying the initiative has transformed their livelihoods.
“We used to grind on our own using traditional means, but now we have support from BIC, and we have commercialised our products,” she said.
Group members said the training and equipment they received have enabled them to package their products professionally, improving their market value and increasing returns.
“The support has helped us realise our potential. Women are now able to sustain themselves… Our ambition is to supply peanut butter, porridge concentrate and mealie meal to major supermarkets.”
Agritex Extension Officer Ms Immaculate Moyo said the initiative illustrates how value addition is creating new economic opportunities in rural communities.
“We are happy to see interventions changing lives; now these women are no longer farming traditional grains for consumption, but it’s now a business. This is rural industrialisation at play.”
BIC-CDS Programme Manager Mr Ndabenhle Ncube said the organisation is supporting community groups to strengthen resilience through value addition initiatives.
“As BIC-CDS, we have trained community groups in Gwanda North in value addition of traditional grains…”
Working with development partners, the Government is advancing its rural industrialisation agenda through initiatives that include village business units, value addition plants, dam rehabilitation, irrigation development and tourism projects.
