The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Senior Municipal Reporter
FOR the past five years, those that passed through Councillor Mlandu Ncube’s plot in Dunstall Farm on the outskirts of Bulawayo could have been forgiven for mistaking it for an unkempt and forgotten graveyard.
The piece of land under the name of the city’s Deputy Mayor was definitely as silent and ominous as a place where people are laid to rest. For those five years there was no sign of life from the 10 hectares that Clr Ncube leased back in 2015. It all looked neglected.
Last year, the city’s number two was introduced to the concept of Pfumvudza/Intwasa and his agricultural ambitions took a sudden and dramatic turn. After half-a-decade of inactivity, his plot finally came to life. Located just a 15-minute drive from the Bulawayo Central Business District along Khami Road, Clr Ncube (32) leases the 10-hectare number 74 Dunstall Farm from the Bulawayo City Council where he got a 25-year lease.
His story is more of a fairytale. Serving his second term as a councillor, he has risen from becoming a supermarket merchandiser to becoming one of the city’s youngest deputy mayors, now he has ventured into farming where he is proving to all doubting Thomas that the Intwasa/ Pfumvudza way of farming can give farmers the best of yields.
Having received the plot back in 2015 he was about to give up last year due to a number of reasons, but when the Government declared the initial Covid-19 necessitated lockdown, Clr Ncube and a few of his friends decided to take up farming to while up time.
The pastime, however, grew to become a source of income, with the Deputy Mayor revealing that he managed to plant 50 000 heads of cabbage whose income saw him manage to construct a two-bedroomed house in his rural home of Tsholotsho.
Clr Ncube said through the Dunstall Farmers Association they managed to get support from the local Agritex officer who introduced them to the Intwasa/Pfumvudza programme, giving them guidance on how best to implement it so as to get the best results.
The Deputy Mayor said for the nation to develop it was high time for people not to hide behind political inclinations but work as a unity and appreciate things which could help revive the country’s economy.
“This green maize you are seeing here are proceeds from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement’s Intwasa/ Pfumvudza facility where we received maize seeds and fertiliser. As you can see it has proven effective because not only will I be able to feed myself and make money but I will also be feeding my extended family in Tsholotsho.
“My advice to the public is that whatever is distributed by any ministry, be it the Ministry of Agriculture or the Ministry of Women Affairs, it is a Government project meant for everyone to benefit. What we must not forget is that any Government programme is funded by the taxpayers’ money, therefore if you are shunning from such facilities you are subsequently refusing a portion of your own money,” said Clr Ncube.
He said it was imperative especially for young small-scale farmers to take heed of Government’s call to use the Intwasa/Pfumvudza type of tillage as this was the only way to go if they were to become successful farmers. According to agriculture experts, Intwasa ensures food self-sufficiency.
“When you look at this, it is the only farming area owned by the Bulawayo City Council which has a success story to tell when it comes to the Intwasa concept, we were even engaging Government officials for us to host a field day for the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Dr Anxious Masuka to come and see what we did, especially in an urban setup.
“As the Dunstall Farmers Association we decided that we want to show all that farming in an urban setup is possible as long as you are dedicated, it is not just my farm but just take a drive around and you will see the dedication here especially with this Intwasa programme,” he said.
The Bulawayo’s Deputy Mayor’s success story is testimony to President Mnangagwa’s sentiments that as more farmers take up the Intwasa/ Pfumvudza method of farming, the country this year is set for a bumper harvest where the country would bid farewell to grain imports.
“We are set for a bumper harvest, taking our nation to full food security, with the possibility of a surplus,” the President was quoted saying during the burial of late national hero, Ambassador Douglas Nyikayaramba.
On future plans for his farming project, Clr Ncube revealed that he was working on fully mechanising his project where, together with farmers from within their area would apply for water rights that would see them pumping water from nearby water sources for irrigation purposes. He said his aim was also to establish a herbal garden to add on to his vegetable project so as to fully utilise his 10-hectare land.
“We moved in here in 2015 but started serious agriculture last year. I have invested close to US$2 000, but I envisage to pour in more money as the land I got is close to 10 hectares, of which so far, we have utilized only 2,5 hactares.
Initially, we were specialising in vegetables, where I must say we had a resounding yield as we got over 50 000 heads of cabbages. As we go forward, we are going to reserve three hectares for vegetables, one hectare will be for a homestead, where we will also have an orchard. One more hectare will be for a goat pen feeding project, where we are taking advantage of a recent BCC project where they are breeding Boar goats for resale at Aiselby Farm” said the Deputy Mayor.
He revealed that he was also taking advantage of his new found passion in agriculture to help youths within Ward One, where he is the councillor by helping them establish a pig project within his facility.
“We are also in the process of building a pigsty where in this particular project, as the councillor for Ward One I was approached by youths who wanted to go into pig breeding businesses and I offered them a piece of my farm where I will give them the start-up capital, building them the pigsty then they can run the business, giving them a source of income.
“To add on to that I have managed to create employment where I have two permanent staffers and three that come in on certain days of the week, also time and again I employ a number of people especially during the cropping period on a rotational basis, which I believe is surely in line with the nation’s hopes of addressing the unemployment figures among our youths,” he said.
His advice to young upcoming farmers is that they should be patient, work hard and take opportunities presented to them by the Government so that they achieve their set goals.
“What I have also realised as a farmer is that in most cases what makes people fail is that they want to start big, they are not patient and don’t want a gradual growth which is unfortunate. For example, we have started on an ambitious chicken project where our focus will be Boschveild and Saso breeds, at a small-scale. Our main aim is to import incubators in the long run to further grow our poultry project, but it’s all about starting small,” said Clr Ncube.
