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Tapuwa Justice Mashangwa
GOD has blessed us all to live into this new year, 2018, a blessed year.

A new year not only brings forth new opportunities, but also new ventures, new ways of doing things, new ideas and innovation and new possibilities.

Errors made in the previous year remain exactly there, in the previous year!

One cannot carry mistakes, shortfalls and inadequacies of the past like a heavy burden. Contemplating on the past only weakens our focus and diminishes energy that could be invested progressively working and conquering new terrains.

This year agriculture has started on a high note with the government’s Command Agriculture entailing grain and livestock production entering a new growth sphere springing forth new possibilities for the average land owner in Zimbabwe.

For those without any capital they can now do something and attain something from their land.

Success in agriculture requires self-rehabilitation of thought patterns and focus.

If one is negative, they will never be able to discover or realise the vast number of opportunities in front of their eyes.

Even if someone else is to advise them on how to maximise on their potential, the fact that they are focused on their problems and negative thoughts, they will only see and focus on the bad within that advice.

However, if one is to rely on the positive and positive thoughts, then the world becomes one’s oyster.

Every day becomes an inspired breath and opportunity for fresh air, new conquests and this positive behaviour and focus reenergises them to a whole new plateau.

As preacher Creflo Dollar said, “So in order to experience change, we must first change the way we think, which leads us back to the words we hear and the images we see.

“Whether you know it or not, everything begins with words.

“The power to change begins with words, and without a change in the words you hear and speak, you will not be able to move forward and experience the results of change.

“If you fail to change your words, you will eventually find yourself returning to the path of old, unchanged thinking.

“Eventually, old words will lead you to old thoughts, emotions, decisions, actions, habits and old character.

“Since you cannot go above the level of your character, you will find yourself in an old destination, as opposed to the destination God has planned for you.”

Changing ones mind-set does not start tomorrow or after an hour, it starts from now, and it is a lot work but it is work worth the effort.

If one is to observe the positive speech and energy from billionaires when they speak, just watching them speak alone can be quite entrancing.

They do not only speak alone, they act upon their speech, they solve problems, they employ people to solve their problems and the world’s problems, and from this they make money and build a multimillion dollar and multibillion dollar businesses.

Forbes magazine has acknowledged that Strive Masiyiwa is now worth $1.7 billion.

He solved a telecommunications problem and look where he is now.

He did it when the world was watching, while others kept complaining about life, while others slept and were lackadaisical about their dreams and goals.

This year challenge yourself to be prayerful, courageous, brave, innovative, work hard smartly, study the markets, study agricultural patterns, attend farming workshops, browse the Internet, watch agri-business programmes, read agriculture, be agriculture, do not talk about it, get up and do something!

We cannot continue being just landowners and enjoy declaring to friends and colleagues that I have so many hectares, yet production on that piece of land has not risen or change over the past two years!

For one to participate in agriculture, who says one has to own land?

Who says one has to grow or rear what other farmers are doing?

Who says you need large capital?

Who says you cannot participate on the international market?

Who says you cannot export?

Who said one’s backyard is too small?

Who said it is impossible?

Who says one needs extensive experience?

Who says one is not intelligent and resource enough to do more?

In line with these new possibilities, Emerald Agribusiness Consultancy has launched an initiative called Grow Your Income.

This initiative seeks to: Alleviate poverty and avoid the reliance on a one source income among the citizens of Zimbabwe by engaging individuals in opportunities available in farming, middleperson involvement in the market chain of agricultural produce and in processing of the agricultural produce; empower the average farmer with relevant skills and knowledge for them to participate and manage small and large scale agricultural projects and to act as an intermediary between investors and the farmers; to capacitate them to produce; to permit them to access affordable loans; and ensure their goods and services have a stable market for profitability.

Those that say they can and those that say they cannot are both right!

Engineer Tapuwa Justice Mashangwa is a chief consultant at Emerald Agribusiness Consultancy based in Bulawayo. He can be contacted on +263771641714 and email; [email protected].