A small grains farming project has improved the livelihoods of Hwange villagers while at the same time ensuring food security.
Villagers from six wards of Hwange District have formed the Jambezi Small Grains Producers Association and are reaping rewards of their farming project which is part of the Food, Nutrition and Income project being supported by the European Union (EU).
The FNI project has benefited villagers from Hwange and Binga Districts and is being implemented by the Catholic Foundation for Overseas Development (CAFOD), Environment Africa, Caritas Hwange and SNV.
The FNI project is also aimed at capacitating households to increase and diversify production of crops and small livestock.
All in all, a total of 1 092 villagers from 32 wards of Binga and Hwange districts are benefitting from the small grains production project.
Interviewed villagers who spoke on the sidelines of an interview during the Rural Food, Nutrition and Income Security conference held in Bulawayo on Wednesday said they were reaping rewards of their farming project.
The villagers said the small grains farming project had become a source of livelihood for them and applauded the FNI project for assisting them with market linkages as well as knowledge on how they can run viable farming projects.
The Chairperson of the Jambezi project, Philip Tshuma said food security had improved among villagers who are part of the Jambezi Small Grains Producers Association.
“Besides that, people who are part of this project are also reaping financial rewards and that has improved the quality of life. There are also nutritional benefits that come from the production of small grains such as sorghum and millet.
“At the moment we are supplying our produce to markets in Bulawayo but we also have local markets,” said Tshuma.
He added that the project had motivated villagers to work collectively.
“What has motivated most people is that they are benefiting directly and what that does is that it brings people together to work towards a common purpose. Another thing that people have realized is that food security can improve if we concentrate on small grains production especially given our weather patterns,” said Tshuma.
