Story by Tapiwa Machemedze
A COMMUNITY-led grass harvesting initiative in Mashonaland Central is reducing the risk of veld fires while creating sustainable livelihoods, with hundreds of households now earning an income from the sale of thatching grass.
The enterprise, centred at Rivers Farm in Concession, has become a key source of income for residents, who sell tonnes of thatching grass along the Mazowe-Mvurwi Highway each year while helping to remove the dry vegetation that fuels veld fires.
For Ambuya Maud Gurende, the project has been a lifeline since the death of her husband in 2008.
“After my husband died, I decided to venture into grass harvesting because I had done the same work in Centenary. I had two children under the age of 18 to look after, so I employed 10 people to help me cut grass… Through this business, I managed to educate my children from primary school through to Ordinary Level.”
What began as a small survival initiative has since expanded into a thriving community enterprise across four farms in Ward 25.
Mazowe Ward 25 Councillor, Mr Todd Chirenje said the project has created employment while encouraging communities to protect grasslands through fireguard construction.
“When we started, many people did not appreciate the project, but through awareness campaigns they now understand its importance. We initially focused on constructing fireguards, but we later expanded into grass harvesting for thatching, which has created employment opportunities. This farm has 185 households, and almost every household is involved in the business.”
The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) said awareness campaigns have been intensified following the start of the national veld fire season.
“We have intensified awareness campaigns and strengthened firefighting teams in line with the fire season gazetted by the Ministry of Environment. The fire season runs from 1 July to 30 November, during which property owners, landowners, tenants and all those responsible for land are expected to put in place measures to prevent veld fires,” said EMA Mashonaland Central spokesperson, Mr Maxwell Mupotsa.
The initiative comes as Mashonaland Central continues efforts to reduce veld fire losses. Last year, Mazowe District recorded the highest number of veld fire incidents in the province, with about 47 000 hectares of land destroyed. Across the province, more than 143 000 hectares were lost, making Mashonaland Central the country’s third most affected province.
As the veld fire season runs from 1 July to 30 November, the Rivers Farm initiative is demonstrating how environmental conservation can be combined with income generation, with communities harvesting excess grass for commercial use while reducing the fuel load that contributes to destructive veld fires.
