Masvingo Farmers Winning Big with Government Farm Training

Communal farmers in Masvingo have commended the government for empowering them through practical agricultural training programmes that have improved crop yields, livestock feed preparation, and post-harvest grain management.

The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, has been rolled out across rural communities to help farmers mitigate the impact of drought and strengthen household food security.

Among the beneficiaries is Mr. Edmore Chiraramiro of Summerton area in Masvingo West, who now delivers between eight and ten tonnes of maize to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) each year.

“I am proud to say that every season, I manage to deliver between eight and ten tonnes of maize to the GMB. This is because of the guidance we receive from our extension officers. Today, we hosted a field day on livestock feed preparation and post-harvest grain handling to learn about pest treatment and grain dusting,” said Mr. Chiraramiro.

Several farmers expressed gratitude for the training, noting that it has equipped them with vital knowledge to reduce post-harvest losses and improve livestock productivity.

“We are thankful to the government for teaching us how to prepare livestock feed and manage our grain after harvest. In the past, pests would destroy much of our produce, but now we know how to prevent that,” said one farmer.

Another farmer added, “We were taught how to prepare supplementary feed for our livestock using maize stalks and other available resources. The government has also assisted us by providing urea for feed formulation.”

Masvingo Office of the President and Cabinet Deputy Director for Environmental Management, Mr. Clorence Matewe, said the programme demonstrates government’s commitment to building resilient rural communities.

“This initiative shows the government’s dedication to empowering farmers through knowledge sharing and resource support. We encourage continued collaboration between farmers and agricultural extension officers to ensure better yields,” he said.

Masvingo Provincial Deputy Director of Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services, Mr. Taringana Makiwa, urged farmers to make full use of locally available resources to sustain their livestock.

“As communal farmers, let us utilise what we have to prepare livestock feed. The government remains committed to supporting and training more farmers under this programme,” he said.

Over the past few years, agricultural production in rural areas has improved, driven by government interventions such as inputs distribution, mechanisation, and capacity-building initiatives.