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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
MRS Tsitsi Barbara Katsande (46) of Gweru who owns a thriving plot Katsco (Pvt) Ltd, says she started farming as a hobby.
She refers to herself as a “city girl” as she grew up in Chitungwiza and never imagined that one day she would venture into farming.

What began as a simple backyard garden has grown into a thriving business with fresh produce sold to shops, supermarkets and Gweru residents.

Mrs Katsande grows cabbages, potatoes, green pepper, carrots, sugar beans and green vegetables on her one-hectare plot.
She has three green houses that each take up to 600 tomato plants as well as two fowl runs and two incubators.

She has also registered a catering company called SteadyHands and uses fresh produce from her plot and chickens she keeps to make delicacies for functions such as weddings, funerals and birthday parties, among others.

She offers delivery services for her fresh baskets in and around Gweru using a 2.5 tonne truck she bought with proceeds from her market gardening venture.

Mrs Katsande was runner-up in the 2021 Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce Businesswoman of the Year award 2021, and is vice-chairperson of the Gweru Peri-Urban Farmers’ Association.

Mrs Katsande holds a diploma in Food Preparation and Culinary Arts from Mosate Hotel School in Phalaborwa, South Africa.
“I am currently doing a diploma in Entrepreneurship for Women in Agriculture with the Business School of Netherlands.

“Major crops are watermelon, potatoes, tomatoes, butternut, onions and leafy vegetables,” Mrs Katsande said.

She is a former chef, who worked for lodges and hotels in Limpopo province, South Africa.

“In a way, it’s a dream come true for me to be into fresh produce, which I sell in and around Gweru. When I am hired to provide catering services, I am paid double for my fresh produce.”

She is on a one-person mission not only to serve some of the tasty food in Gweru, but also to change the way urban land is utilised.

“We should be productive on whatever size of land we have. One doesn’t need 20 hectares of land to be productive. We should all be doing something with our hands, with the land we have and the country will become the bread basket of Africa,” said Mrs Katsande.

She believes that flavour has to start with an understanding of the soil.

“My husband and family are very supportive of my venture and I appreciate them. I once got a loan from my husband and used it to set up drip irrigation as well as overhead sprinklers and a 10 000-litre tank for water to water the plants. I can tell you that I was able to pay him back and am now enjoying the fruits of working the land.

“I want to assist families improve the taste of food through planting and harvesting techniques, and then in the kitchen.”

Mrs Katsande said her journey as a farmer began in 2011. She said she and her husband were staying in South Africa when her husband, who works in the mining industry, got a job offer in Australia.

“Obviously, we were all excited about the prospects of living abroad. But he then got another job offer at one of the mines in Zimbabwe and instead of packing our bags for Australia, he said we were going back home and I cried foul.

“I was already seeing myself on the beaches of Australia, but my husband decided that we should come to Zimbabwe and that changed my life for good.”

Mrs Katsande found the plot in Gweru and thus her journey to becoming a successful farmer started.

“I realised we had all the land and I started farming. In 2015, we went to Australia for a holiday and after a few days, I realised that coming back home was the best decision we made. I thank my husband for taking us back home because home is always best. We have the best climate, best soils, the food is tasty and I cook and produce what I want. The grass is not always green abroad,” she said.

Mrs Katsande also has a vineyard at the plot, which she says gives her between US$1 000 and US$1 500 per season.

“Remember I started farming as a hobby after we came back from South Africa,” she said.

“I saw the large field and started googling about farms and boom I am in it till now.”

She said to make farming a successful business, farmers should be on the ground every time for them to realise good returns.

“I wake up every morning around 6am to supervise my employees. I am active in all activities on the plot and that has been my ticket to success. As the Government always advises, farmers must take farming as a business. That way we will grow the economy together,” said Mrs Katsande.

The mother of four children has three full time workers and also engages casual workers when need arises.

“My first born is at a university in the United Kingdom followed by twins and the last born who are here. Life has changed a lot because of the finances we are realising from our produce.

“I plan on opening my own fresh produce shop and if I get more land, I will expand and do mixed farming because I would like to rear cattle and goats too,” she said.