Story by Kenias Chivuzhe
THE Second Republic’s Village Business Unit (VBU) programme is transforming rural livelihoods and driving community-based economic growth, with Gosha VBU in Goromonzi emerging as a model of agricultural productivity, food security and rural industrialisation.
The 25-member group is recording significant gains in crop production and fish farming, while also improving household incomes and nutrition within the community.
At the flourishing VBU, farmers are producing cabbage, onions and various vegetables on a commercial scale, with members crediting the initiative for improving livelihoods and reducing poverty.
“Village Business Units are transforming our lives. We have 6 000 plants of cabbage, 10 371 onion plants, and 2 000 vegetable plants. This has improved local nutrition. We want to increase productivity by making use of the greenhouse. Market is not a challenge as AMA helps to market our products,” a member said.
“We thank the President for spearheading the establishment of village business units. We have vegetables and cabbage as well as onions, and we are selling our produce,” a villager said.
“At the moment, our onion crop is good, and we are happy. We have a good cabbage crop. Village business units have improved our productivity due to the availability of water. We now have vegetables in our area. We can now pay school fees for our children without challenges,” a farmer said.
“The VBU programme, which is a brainchild of President Mnangagwa, solved water challenges in our localities. We now have a reliable water supply, and we can wash our clothes here. This has improved the levels of hygiene. Acute water challenges are a thing of the past due to the availability of clean water for domestic and agricultural purposes,” another farmer said.
Beyond crop production, the Village Business Unit has also established a cattle dipping facility that is benefiting the community.
“We thank our President following the sinking of a borehole by Prevail. This resulted in the establishment of a dipping facility due to the availability of water, and cattle diseases have been reduced drastically,” a community member said.
“We were affected by January disease, but this dip tank has answered our prayers. We dip our cattle every year,” another community member said.
Local leadership and implementing partners described Village Business Units as key drivers of rural industrialisation and community empowerment, adding that Gosha Village Business Unit has demonstrated potential to reach export capacity in future.
“A total of 25 farmers are benefiting from this business unit, where they are doing intensive agriculture production. This is part of President Mnangagwa’s inclusive development agenda. This is a rural industry. Greenhouse will eliminate pests and diseases. There are over 15 000 households in our ward being supplied by this village business unit,” Goromonzi Ward 12 Councillor, Kondwakuenda Magaya said.
“As the implementing partner, we are proud to see the progression of village business units moving from being sources of sustenance to becoming income-generating units. With further capacitation, village business units will be able to reach an export status with Zimbabwe being able to retain its breadbasket status,” Group Public Relations Executive, Tariro Dondo-Prevail said.
As rural communities continue embracing innovation and collective effort, the future of rural communities will never be the same again, driven by increased agricultural productivity.
