Zimplats helps train 200 farmers

Source: Zimplats helps train 200 farmers – herald

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Zimplats spokesman Mr Hama Saburi said the programme was helping to build resilient farming communities through skills development and knowledge transfer.

Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent

MORE than 200 farmers from Mhondoro-Ngezi and Chegutu districts have so far, benefited from the Zimplats farmer training programme since its launch in 2022, following the graduation of the fifth group at Gwebi Agricultural College on Friday.

The latest group of about 60 farmers completed a week-long residential training programme focused on modern farming techniques, crop and livestock production, farm management, agribusiness principles and sustainable agricultural practices.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Zimplats spokesman Mr Hama Saburi said the programme was helping to build resilient farming communities through skills development and knowledge transfer.

“Today is more than a graduation ceremony, it is a celebration of commitment, learning and the transformative power of knowledge.

“It is also an opportunity to reflect on the impact that can be achieved when communities, educational institutions and the private sector work together towards a common goal.”

Mr Saburi said Zimplats introduced the programme in 2022 after recognising the need to invest in people living in communities hosting its operations.

“We were guided by the belief that the communities that host our operations deserve more than infrastructure, they deserve investment in human potential. They deserve skills that endure long after any single project or initiative has come to an end,” he said.

Mr Saburi said the programme, implemented in partnership with Gwebi Agricultural College and the Department of Agricultural Extension Services, equips farmers with practical skills that can be immediately applied in their farming enterprises.

The impact of the initiative extended beyond the number of graduates produced each year.

“The true value lies in the knowledge that is taken back to communities, the farming practices that are improved, the yields that are increased and the lessons that are shared with fellow farmers,” Mr Saburi said.

He said some former participants had become model farmers in their communities and had won accolades at agricultural shows and field days.

The programme also aligned with Zimplats’ environmental, social and governance commitments by strengthening food security, supporting income generation and empowering women and youth.

“Knowledge is the most transferable asset we can provide. A community that can feed itself is a community that can thrive,” he said.

Mr Saburi urged the graduates to put the skills acquired into practice and share their knowledge with other farmers.