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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
CHIEF Shana of Jambezi is Matabeleland North’s best farmer among traditional leaders after he outclassed all chiefs in the province in terms of production.

There are about 40 chiefs in Matabeleland North province.

Government last year extended the climate proofed Presidential input scheme to traditional leaders and allocated each of them inputs to use under the Intwasa farming programme.

Despite the rocky soils and the presence of wild animals that destroy crops, Chief Shana defied odds and is expecting a bumper harvest after planting maize, sorghum and cowpeas.

The Department of Agricultural Extension Services (Agritex) assessed each chief’s field and Chief Shana emerged the winner after planting three maize plots, another three of sorghum and one plot for cow peas.

Agritex Officer in charge of Matabeleland North and Bulawayo Mr Dumisani Nyoni told members of the community at a fodder field day hosted by Mr Nambikwa Ncube and wife Ms Irene Zulu in Chikamba village, Ward 7 in Jambezi recently that over the years, Jambezi has been doing well in agriculture because Chief Shana is active in farming.

“Chiefs were also given inputs and were judged at provincial and national level with the idea of seeing who did well. All chiefs were given seed and other inputs. Chief Shana is our number one in the province. He did well because he leads from the front,” he said.

“We started long back with him and when we talk of Jambezi we are proud because of Chief Shana. If all traditional leaders had such a spirit definitely, we would transform our communities and enhance food security.”

Mr Nyoni said traditional leaders must encourage communities to partake in farming.

Speaking at the same event, Chief Shana commended Agritex officers for their sterling job in his community where he said they worked well with farmers.

He challenged his subjects to take farming seriously so as to enhance food security and improve livelihoods, in line with Government thrust to drive the country to an upper middle-income economy by 2030.

“Officers have done a good job and farmers followed instruction. No development comes without food security hence when the next rainy season starts, let’s work together. We need to mobilise all village heads to encourage people to get into agriculture,” he said.

In a follow-up interview, Chief Shana said he was elated by being voted best farmer and hopes the good harvest will help resuscitate Isiphala Senkosi which had been depleted by recurrent droughts over the years.

“I still can’t believe it. I didn’t know I was working in a way that’s recognisable as I was working the same way I have been doing every year.

I am expecting a bumper harvest from the maize, sorghum and cowpeas plots,” he said.

Chief Shana commended Government for capacitating traditional leaders saying this will enhance food security and resilience in rural communities.

“It shows that we can work together with Agritex and boost Isiphala Senkosi which will help us sustain communities. For us traditional leaders this gives us joy because we will have enough food for ourselves and to feed vulnerable member of the community. We won’t look up to Government or well-wishers if there are people who are starving in our areas but we will just recommend that they be given from Isiphala Senkosi,”

He encouraged farmers to plant on time.

Fodder seeds supplier Easi Seeds Zimbabwe has pledged to support traditional leaders and communal farmers to complement Government programmes.

While congratulating Chief Shana, Easi Seeds country manager Mr Tinashe Mugadza who also attended the Jambezi field day said the company will roll out programmes aimed at improving food and nutritional security.

“As the best and biggest pasture seed supplier in Zimbabwe we are committed to support all farmers in rural areas especially in Matabeleland provinces. It is our role as a Government partner to encourage good farming practices among small and commercial farmers and we are excited to witness such good work and leadership here in Matabeleland North where we had a fodder crops field day. We will roll out programmes aimed at improving food and nutritional security and livestock management especially during winter and dry periods,” he said. — @ncubeleon