SYDNEY MUBAIWA
MASVINGO CENTRAL- The once parched soils of Mutenda village under Chief Shumba in Masvingo Central Constituency have been transformed into a flourishing hub of life and productivity through Food and Agriculture Organisations (FAO) and World Vision’s Nourish and Thrive programme.
More than 40 households are now reaping the rewards of this development through a thriving one -hectare nutrition garden, which is providing both balanced diet for their families and a steady stream of income.
Every morning, the villagers commit their hands and hearts to the soil, confident that their labour will not only nourish their children but also yield surplus produce for sale.
“When we started working on this project, our lives were transformed. Now we have healthy lifestyles,” chairperson of the garden Alton Hove told The Midweek Watch.
“We now have a surplus from what we are producing, and we have money to buy various goods. Apart from that, we are now able to give back to the community by supplying vegetables to the local clinic and schools,” he added.
Agriculture extension specialist, Miriam Madziva, said they aim to add more crops to the two-hectare garden while also setting out plans for expansion to increase production.
“We already have several crops that we planted, and we are pleased with the yields. However, the plan is to make the most of the land we have and increase production. We are looking forward to driving agri-industrial development so that we create a critical mass for local industrial beneficiation of the vegetables,” she said.
Masvingo Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Dr. Ardmore Pazvakavambwa emphasised the importance of supporting smallholder farmers to ensure food and nutrition security and enhance their income.
“We want to thank President Mnangagwa for inviting friends to assist us in difficult times.
We want to thank our development partners for this initiative which is mainly aimed at improving people’s livelihoods,” he said.
Funded by the French Embassy the Nourish and Thrive initiative and the establishment of nutrition gardens has brought sustainable development to communities, while also promoting healthy lifestyles.
FAO country representative Louis Muhigirwa said through the funding, together with its sister partner, World Vision, they implemented a Nourish and Thrive project designed around three core objectives: preventing child wasting and improving nutrition outcomes, enhancing household food security and strengthening community capacities in nutrition-sensitive agriculture.
