Quarterly Newsletter.

1st Quarter 2012

Revitalization of Smallholder Agricultural Production in Zimbabwe

Revival of Tea and Coffee Production in Honde Valley

The project aims to revitalize small holder agricultural production in Honde Valley through increased financial viability, livelihoods improvement and employment creation of commercially orientated tea and coffee farmers

The project targets 2,000 commercially oriented farmers (500 coffee growers, 1200 tea growers and 300 summer crop beneficiaries)

RSAPZ Brings Development Community

By Thomas Ferenando In October 2010 I attended an awareness meeting chaired by RSAPZ staff and I registered my name. Before the inception of the project food was not enough for the family. Land under cultivation was underutilized. I did not have any coffee since access to inputs was not easy but it was made easier through the use of Agro dealers. I earned average income from farming since markets were not readily available and crop diversity was depressed. I received maize (10kgs) and seed beans (10kgs) and 1 bag compound D, 2 bags AN fertilizer, lime fertilizer, 1 bag compound J, 2 bags SSP, 5 000 plants, 1 knapsack spray, and 1kg copper ox chloride. In addition l received trainings, extension support and farmer field schools from ZCM, Agritex and SNV. Field days and prospects of irrigation rehabilitation also provided further impetus to work harder. I now have enough food for the family and surplus to give dogs, kukandira imbwa. Crop yield in the last agricultural season increased tremendously and I also managed to buy irrigation pipes from crop sales. I have retained sugar beans seed for the next agricultural season. Crop diversity from the inputs support project has also improved greatly in addition to household income which has enabled me to buy books and payment of school fees for my children. Soil fertility and structure has been improved due to conservation agriculture. Given the current achievements, I intend to buy cows and building a new house. I am also planning to start new projects in small livestock and crop production all year round if the irrigation rehabilitation exercise is completed. At a community level, farming knowledge of the community improved through trainings and field days.

Revival of Coffee Growing: A Comfort for Widows

By Chimusembu Maud I became part of the RSAPZ project through community meetings in coffee, maize and sugar beans convened by Agritex and World Vision staff in December 2010. Before the introduction of the RSAPZ project, coffee fields were dried and there were no inputs on the local market which was a threat to the food security of my family. The situation was further worsened by the decline in coffee prices at the local market; as a result we abandoned coffee farming. Most of our productive time was spend through selling cheap labor which had become our main livelihoods activity. I benefited from the RSAPZ project through access to fertilizers (2 * 50kgs), beans (10kgs) and maize (10kgs) and coffee chemicals. I also benefited immensely from field days and demonstration sites which opened opportunities for learning. The input support project has enabled me to resuscitate my coffee plot which l had abandoned during the unabated economic decline period. I have realized cash from farming that l am now able to send my children to school. Food security for my family has also improved greatly given that l am now able to have 3 meals per day in addition to the fact that l am no longer working on other peoples plots. Income realized from farmin g proceeds has enabled me to secure birth certificates for my four children and a retake of my National I. D. I am now settled in mind, having a peace of mind. I envisage a community in which the local coffee pulpery will be resuscitated and improved community social cohesion through farming. I also foresee a community in which net school enrolment will increase and a reduction in poverty and food insecurity.

Farming as Business in Samanga, Honde Valley

By Duri Martha It was sometime in October 2010 when Agritex Staff conveyed an awareness meeting about the RSAPZ project aimed at providing inputs for the summer season and I was chosen as a farmer. Before introduction of the RSAPZ project, I could not afford inputs and crop production declined drasvalley due to the absence of inputs on the ble but fetching at exorbitant prices. Maras we could not manage to produce surputs package which was comprised of benefited from extension support which as business and record keeping. I only cannot prosper if you do farming in darkare making profit or not. Trainings in farmcurrently employed by SNV as a para-trainer. I fore see a brighter future ahead of me through application of the farming techniques I received. Completion of the irrigation scheme in the area will increase crop production and resuscitation of the coffee pulpery is highly likely to increase coffee production in Honde Valley. tically. Yields were very depressed in Honde local market. Sometimes inputs were availaketing of produce was mainly farmer to farmer plus food. I benefited from summer crop infertilizers, sugar beans and maize seed. I also saw me getting to know more about farming wish if the project had started earlier. You ness without records or realizing whether you ing as a business has enabled us to adopt

farming from a commercial perspective and the project has also created local employment opportunities given that my son is

Lazy Farmers Loath Loan Repayments

By Memory Mareya I heard about the project from Extension Officers at meeting at Dumba Shopping Centre, in October 2010. We were divided into clusters of 10 members whom provided group guarantees for each other. Before the project came into the district, land was underutilized. Harvests were better before the project given that RSAPZ inputs were delayed. Because we had no access to markets, buyers from towns used to purchase our produce. From being part of the RSAPZ project, l became a recipient on an input package comprising of coffee seedlings, maize and sugar beans seed and fertilizers. I also benefited from extension support and education from para trainers. The concept of group guarantees is unacceptable since some of the members are difficult to work with. I do not like being put in groups with lazy people who will draw you back. In fact you will end up paying for the lazy farmers. Inputs price of US80 for the input were too high. Despite these setbacks, trainings and extension support have been enlightening. The project has potential be very successful if inputs are delivered before the onset of the summer season. Given the current situation, I can fore see that I will end up failing to buy my own inputs and children will end up not willing to work together with me because of the poor results. At a community level, the community will be able to construct better loads for easy transportation of farm produce. Farmers will be able to send children to school and more employment opportunities can be created through farming.

Tea Recovery & Growing

The collage of pictures above shows tea nursery, recovered tea plants and farmers picking the crop. Tea picking is now both manual and mechanised.

National Office 59B Joseph Road Mt Pleasant, Harare P.O Box 2420 Harare

Relief office Duly's Building, Corner 11th and Jaison Moyo, Bulawayo

Mutasa sub- office P O Box 82 Mutasa Tel (02) 282435/6 Cell: 077-3192105 Email: abraham_muzulu@wvi.org