The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
HAMARA Zimbabwe have diversified through the opening of hybrid shops throughout the country, giving small-scale farmers a platform to bring their fresh produce closer to the markets.
The organisation has in the past vowed to unlock the productive potential of small-scale farmers by giving them access to quality standard inputs, world-class training and technical support and access to vibrant markets. With the opening of the first hybrid branch in Bulawayo which is located in Glengarry along Harare road, the company has fulfilled part of its mandate of giving small-scale farmers access to vibrant markets.
Speaking on the sidelines of the official opening yesterday, Hamara head of marketing and public relations Mr Clarence Mutangara said they not only wanted to give a platform to small-scale farmers but they were now bringing fresh produce closer to the public.
“This hybrid store concept is where we are focusing on developing the small-scale farmer by taking the farm to the family and also taking the family to the farm. This is all under our best in basic concept which allows customers to come in and almost directly interact with the farmers.
“We want our customers to feel as if they are picking the fresh produce directly from the farm. We have also come up with the innovative bucket system where customers pick a bucket of their choice and fill it with as much of produce as they can,” said Mr Mutangara.
He said the hybrid store was also aimed at assisting the small-scale farmers to get inputs for their farms, creating a sense of a one stop shop for them where they provide fresh produce but also get the inputs for their farms.
“As you see we also have day-old chicks, feeds and bales which are basic inputs for small-scale farmers. Many people know Hamara as a producer of day-old chicks, we are proud to say we are an integrated value chain provider, where we are into the chicken value chain.
“We are the most extensive supplier in the country when it comes to day-old chicks, we currently have five types of day-old chicks for our farmers, further we also have the feed for all these types and also provide training for the small-scale farmers on breeding chickens,” said Mr Mutangara.
He said as a company they were proud that they were running several programmes, which have recorded success among participating farmers.
One of the beneficiaries of Hamara training, Mr Nigel Mariga said chicken breeding had since transformed his life.
“This is my second batch of 500 Sasso T-rainbow chicks, selling them at four weeks. The reason I decided to be part of this programme is to eradicate poverty in my community that is spiritual and physical poverty. Hamara give me the chicks and all the necessary inputs, they also assist in marketing the chickens, after selling them I get a good profit which has really transformed my life,” said Mr Mariga.
Another farmer, Mrs Simangele Mashonganyika encouraged other small-scale farmers to consider venturing into poultry farming, saying with the few months she has been part of the programme she has benefitted immensely.
“As I am speaking right now, I no longer go to my neighbours begging for food like I used to do before I ventured into chicken breeding. When I started these chickens used to lay about seven eggs a day but now I am getting over 21 eggs a day. These eggs help me a lot because I am now financially independent. I am working on now expanding my fowl run which will be financed by these very eggs,” said Mrs Mashonganyika.
Hamara’s vision is for Zimbabwe to not only be able to feed themselves but to be a nation that exports produce and supplies the rest of Africa. Their vision is to unlock the productive engine of Zimbabwe, which is the small-scale farmers and equipping them to reach their highest potential.
