Project Description

Guruve, Zimbabwe

Project Details and Objectives:

The Zimbabwe out-growers soya bean project has been on-going since the 2011/2012 season and provided smallholder farmers with input financing packages and full extension support including: workshops, in-the field training and assistance through our trained FEOs who aim to introduce soya beans as a cash crop into the community to increase annual household income and promote sustainable conservation agriculture and good agricultural practices. The success of this project can be seen through its on-going and ever expanding support with farmers in Guruve.

 

Participant Name: Kudakwashe Kwangwama

Participant Age: 27

Participant Gender: Male

Participant Details:

Mr Kwangwama currently farms 4ha of land in Guruve and has been participating in the project since the 2011/2012 season. Prior to taking part in the Foundations soya bean project, Mr Kwangwama only used to grow maize and sugar beans for self-consumption and sale along with sunflower seeds for livestock feed. On average his annual income was approximately USD$1,000.

Participants Details in the Project:

Mr. Kwangwama has been participating in the soya project since the 2011/2012 season and has been making use of the mechanization project since it started in the 2015/2016 season.

He attended workshops during the first season of the project to gain the initial training provided to all participants. He used to believe that soya beans were a crop plagued by weeds and did not result in a high enough yield to justify growing them. He has since learned otherwise with 3 years of continuous high yielding harvests, with exception to the 2014/2015 drought. He has since maintained a strong relationship with the on-site FEO who is there to provide guidance and assistance. He has also become a lead farmer in his community aiding and training surrounding projects participants.

Results:

Mr. Kwangwama did not know much about soya bean farming and used to believe it a tricky crop with too much labour output for weed control and harvesting and too low a yield. Through workshops and assistance from the FEO Mr. Kwangwama has since managed to maintain strong, high yields and has since gone on to encourage and train others to plant soya. His annual income has increased by approximately USD$750 – $850, through his soya bean crop.

 

Conclusion:

Through the delivery of new cash crops and now the introduction of the mechanization project the Foundation has managed to establish a large community of small holder farmers who continue to increase due to the delivery of goods and services that cater to the community’s livelihoods while providing them with education in good agricultural practices. This has resulted in repeat participants, like Mr Kwangama who has greatly benefited from both the soya bean and mechanization projects.