The Sunday News
Mthabisi Tshuma, Farming Correspondent
AGRICULTURE based organisation 4-H Zimbabwe Foundation is making strides in promoting women in the agriculture sector after successfully hosting the 2021 Young Women in Agriculture Recognition Awards early this month in the Midlands province.
The awards meant to honour young women in agriculture and with a focus on Pfumvudza/Intwasa farming programme will be rolled out in the coming weeks in Matabeleland South and North provinces. The awards come as farmers in the Matabeleland region, which has over the years been largely characterised by low rainfall and poor yields, are expecting to harvest enough maize and traditional grains to last more than 12 months.
4-H Zimbabwe Founding Director Mr John Muchenje said four districts in the Matabeleland region have been selected to host the awards.
“The awards for the Matabeleland region will target Matabeleland North and South provinces. For Matabeleland North we are targeting Binga and Tsholotsho while in Matabeleland South we are targeting Mangwe and Bulilima. We are working with local district officers to ensure we identify and empower these women in agriculture.
“The awards are held as a way of promoting gender equality through agriculture. The awards are meant to motivate young female farmers not to give up on what they do. This will also allow these young farmers to produce for sustenance and excess for sale to enable a healthy living, economic independence and sustainability of the projects that will resultantly benefit households, communities and the nation at large,” he said.
Mr Muchenje said going forward, they will have training for young women farmers.
“Our aim is to organise these women into agricultural clubs that will be training farmers and also discussing gender issues. It is clear that the economic empowerment of females also addresses other social effects such as gender based violence. In these clubs, women will be grouped according to their location and proximity to one another. A leader for each group will be selected and will thereby facilitate these trainings. Women will be taught how to produce different types of crops and in the process be made aware of their rights as citizens,” said Mr Muchenje.
The awards are a partnership between 4-H Zimbabwe Foundation in conjunction with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, Seedco, Deutsch Connect, K2, Syngeta and Empower Bank.
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