Farmer trainings set up communities for success in dry regions
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Authors
Katsande, Innocent
Issue Date
Type
Language
en
Keywords
Agriculture , Climate Change , Disasters
Alternative Title
Abstract
Like many smallholder farmers from Gwanda District which is a typical dry region with average to below average rainfall every season, when equipped with knowledge on better farming methods, in the upcoming 2018 to 2019 farming season, Anastacia has set her hopes high and is looking forward to producing more and being able to feed her family and sale her surplus to the local markets.
Description
Zhukwe west village is a smallholder farming community in ward two in Gwanda District, Southern Zimbabwe. This community over the years has seen household yields at the end of each farming season significantly drop as the rain patterns in that region became less predictable and weather conditions became increasingly hush.
Anastacia Ncube, 69 years old, is a small holder farmer from this region and a mother of eleven children. She feeds and takes care of her children’s needs from the income she gets through growing sorghum, groundnuts, cowpeas and pumpkins.
Her experience over the past few years has been nothing but failed crops, drought and struggling to feed her family. The situation she and her husband Leonard Ncube, 73yrs, endured pushed them to the limit, she said.
“Seeing neighbours suffering from hunger and also not being able to produce food, for a long time we have always known we needed to try something different,” added Anastacia.
Currently in the processes of trying out new ways of farming to maximise on food production in a harsh climate, Anastacia is one of the champion smallholder farmers being trained by Practical Action’s Resilience Enhanced through Agricultural Productivity (REAP) project on a variety of conservation methods possible in their region.
“I'm excited to be part of the training programme on better methods of farming introduced by Practical Action and I hope to train others in my community and become more successful as a champion farmer,” said Anastacia.
“Already from the training I have received, and the isle group I have been a part of, has allowed me to become more independent financially. I am now able to borrow small loans from the group, manage it well and return as I grow in my project.
“Without Practical Action and the trainings I have begun to receive, it will be difficult for me to better cope with the hash farming and living conditions we find ourselves in,” she said.
Like many smallholder farmers from Gwanda District which is a typical dry region with average to below average rainfall every season, when equipped with knowledge on better farming methods, in the upcoming 2018 to 2019 farming season, Anastacia has set her hopes high and is looking forward to producing more and being able to feed her family and sale her surplus to the local markets.
Through the training and support coming from Practical Action team on the ground, her confidence has grown.