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Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa’s hands-on approach in driving the transformation of the agriculture sector demonstrates his passion for scaling up national productivity and ensuring food security as the basis of improved community livelihoods.

The President is already a champion farmer and successful businessman as evidenced by his massive production at his Precabe Farm in Sherwood in Kwekwe District, Midlands Province.

The Sherwood farming area was previously owned by a few white farmers before the Government implemented the land reform programme, which has benefitted 45 resettled A2 farmers, including the First Family.

At Precabe Farm, a wonderful farming story has been unfolding for years and since 2008 to this day, President Mnangagwa has been slaughtering two beasts a week to feed workers.

There are 2 000 cattle, over 400 goats as well as fish and chickens at the farm. There is winter wheat on over 600 hectares, as well as thriving horticulture production. The farm delivers over 4 000 tonnes of maize to the Grain Marketing Board every year and is highly mechanised.

President Mnangagwa takes time from his busy schedule to till the land and contribute to the national food basket as he produces about 10 times what the former white farmer was producing.

The President’s farming success has been hailed by his Mozambican counterpart, President Filipe Nyusi and other dignitaries who have visited the farm.

Speaking on President Mnangagwa’s hands-on approach at his farm and in Government, the Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Cde Vangelis Peter Haritatos, said the President was leading by example in all spheres.

“His Excellency President Mnangagwa is the epitome of a successful farmer, servant of the people, and businessman,” he said. 

“As leaders, we need to lead by example and not just talk. President Mnangagwa is a fine example of a leader who walks the talk. 

“Wherever the President goes he speaks of agriculture and how through his exemplary guidance we need to ensure our great nation of Zimbabwe is food, fibre, oil, and nutrition self-sufficient and secure.”

The Deputy Minister said a simple visit to President Mnangagwa’s farm shows how diversified farming practices are the way to go. Whilst the President plants high-yielding and quality crop every season, he commended the livestock and fisheries focus at the farm.

“From pedigree bulls to millions of fish, His Excellency shows that you do not need thousands of hectares of land to produce for our country, but that whatever land we have must be fully utilised using good agronomic practices and animal husbandry,” he said.

Cde Haritatos said positive strides at the President’s farm show that farming is truly a business and can benefit the individual and the country at large if done properly.

As a farmer, he said, President Mnangagwa has shown the nation how farmers can use technology for their benefit to ensure maximum productivity.

“The design of his farm is second to none. All the most critical components and equipment such as pumps, planters, sprayers have spares in order to ensure that his crop never strains,” he said. 

“For example, at his night storage dam you will notice that he has a primary pump and a backup pump to that one to ensure that irrigating remains a priority. 

“He has adopted world class pivots that run on information technology to ensure that the right amount of water is put on each of the lands.”

The Deputy Minister also lauded President Mnangagwa for sharing his expertise with other farmers in the area and urged other farmers to emulate his example.

Precabe Farm is also known for its best waste management, which blend environmental management practices and maximum production for the good of the nation.

Mr Ronnie Chigombe, sales agronomist at SeedCo concurred saying President Mnangagwa was passionate about farming and knows every corner of the field and varieties for proper planting.

“Each time he visits or is on the farm he makes it a policy to visit the fields/crops at his farm to get the feel as to how the crops are performing,” he said.