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Masvingo bureau
Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) in partnership with Chivi Rural District Council has announced plans to set up a School of Agriculture that will specialise in research on drought resistant crops as part of the university’s efforts to improve food security in the arid district. Besides specialising in research on drought-resistant crops, the School of Agriculture will also initiate research on improving the breed of livestock such as donkeys and goats that are predominant in arid regions.

Chivi is one of the driest districts in the drought-prone province, and villagers perennially experience food shortages owing to poor rains.

GZU Vice Chancellor Professor Rungano Zvobgo yesterday said plans to set up the Agriculture School in Chivi were at an advanced stage.

He, however, said there was nothing special about opening the school in Chivi first besides other districts.

“We are working closely with the Chivi (Rural District) Council to open the school but that will also be subject to availability of land to build it,’’ he said.

“Our thinking is that we should have a positive impact on people’s lives as an institution of higher learning, and we felt we could help in improving food security in dry districts such as Chivi by opening a school that will specialise in research on drought-tolerant crops,’’ he added.

Professor Zvobgo added that even livestock such as donkeys and goats were crucial in the lives of communities in arid areas like Chivi, adding that research will also be instituted on how best to boost their rearing.

“We want to have a presence in almost every corner of the province and help communities. We chose Chivi because we had to start from somewhere,’’ he added.

GZU is one of Zimbabwe’s fastest growing universities with a student population that trebled from about 3,000 students to the current 9,000 in a space of about three years.