Chinese agriculture learners partner with Shamva v...

Chinese agriculture learners partner with Shamva villagers to boost rural farming

Patience Muchemwa

Senior Reporter

On Monday, a group of Chinese agriculture learners visited Shamva District, where the local Chinese community is working hand-in-hand with villagers to develop farming projects aimed at strengthening rural livelihoods. The learners, who also carried out similar visits last year in Zvimba District, came to understand more about rural development and agricultural practices in Zimbabwe.

According to Shamva District Agriculture Extension Officer, Lovemore Kahari, the visitors discovered that Zindi Village is rich in farming activities, ranging from crop production to livestock rearing. Water emerged as the most critical resource for the community. To support this, four boreholes were drilled—two of which are currently functional—facilitating household taps, horticultural gardens, and two hectares of drip irrigation where chillies and assorted vegetables are grown.

One borehole was installed at the local dip tank to help control ticks, a major challenge in livestock management. The project also includes poultry initiatives. A selected household received a modern fowl run with the capacity to house 2,000 broiler chickens, along with 1,000 indigenous “roadrunner” chickens. Plans are underway to introduce hatchery machines to multiply chicks and strengthen poultry production.

In addition, villagers in Wards 11 and 12 were trained in mushroom production. The farmers successfully sold their first harvest and are now preparing for the second round of cultivation. To ensure sustainability, the project engaged several madhumeni (agricultural extension workers) to train villagers before conducting follow-up monitoring.

“We are working well with our Chinese friends and we hope to learn more from them,” Kahari said.

Villager Emilder Zindi expressed gratitude for the support but appealed for a security fence to protect crops such as potatoes, onions, and vegetables from livestock damage.

Also commenting during the visit, Professor Yuezhi Zhao, from Tsinghua University and Chairperson for the Harare Forum for Africa, said she was impressed with the level of organization in the projects.

“I was very impressed with the work that has been done here. I am impressed with the way they have systematically organized different aspects of the aid. For example, you find out that they had no water so they dug wells to water their gardens before the boreholes were drilled. They also made sure that the power station is located at the household of the village head so that he will take charge in making sure that it is well protected,” she said.

The initiative also drew interest from policymakers. Dr. Jotamu Dondofema, Director of Agricultural Education in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, oversees Zimbabwe’s nine agricultural colleges and has been championing the modernization of agricultural education through the “Agricultural Education for Development 5.0” curriculum. This program emphasizes training, business advisory services, research, innovation, and entrepreneurship to produce graduates equipped with practical skills and leadership in agribusiness.

Dr. Dondofema has also spearheaded reforms in the industrial attachment program, including improved access to host organizations, strengthened linkages among colleges and industry, and the adoption of a zonal approach to placement and assessment. These reforms aim to better prepare students for real-world agricultural challenges.

The collaboration between Chinese learners, local communities, and government stakeholders in Shamva reflects a growing emphasis on rural development, innovation, and knowledge-sharing in agriculture.