Story by Tapiwa Machemedze
ZIMBABWE’s Land Reform Programme has charmed foreign military students visiting the country under the Kenya Senior Joint Command and Staff Course.
Following the allocation of Kwayedza Farm in May 2002 under the Land Reform Programme, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Honourable Tsitsi Gezi borrowed $24 million from BancABC and planted 36 hectares of maize.
From there, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament has never looked back, now producing 100 hectares of maize, 120 hectares of soya beans and 6 hectares of tobacco.
A tour of the farm in Bindura on Wednesday by military students visiting Zimbabwe under the Kenya Senior Joint Command and Staff Course left a lasting impression on the visitors.
“We are grateful that you have been able to actualise the land reform to assist the population and at least attain food security and self-sufficiency. We are happy to visit this model farm, we have seen the maize and soya beans production which is good,” Kenya Defence Forces member, Lieutenant Colonel Jackson Komen said.
Gezi Enterprises’ Chief Operations Officer, Mr Marshall Gezi, who was representing Honourable Gezi, highlighted that indigenous farmers have what it takes to enable Africa to attain food self-sufficiency.
“As Africans, we can do it. We have been sold the narrative that we cannot be farmers and produce but we have proved that Africans are capable. We can achieve that by uniting first and believing in ourselves,” he said.
The Kenya Senior Joint Command and Staff Course comprises 18 students including three allied students from Nepal, Sierra Leone and Somalia, nine directing staff including two directors from Burundi and Uganda as well as three administration staff.
