By Elvis Dumba
Banket – The Nicaragua Ambassador to Zimbabwe Her Excellency Madaskeni Curthbert has said her country seeks to increase trade in agriculture commodities by supporting women farmers in Zimbabwe to venture into the export market.
Ambassador Curthbert told this publication during on the sidelines of a tour of Pen and Triple Farm in Banket recently.
“Nicaragua stand to benefit from the partnership with women farmers here who have impressed me with their resilient and hardwork in the midst of many challenges such as the lack of financial access but they are doing very well, my government is ready to increase support to women farmers in this country so that they increase their participation in agriculture products export with my country being a ready market for many produces found here like avocados and others and I am happy we have organizations here in Zimbabwe encouraging and trying to support women farmers who do not have access to adequate financial support,” she said.
The Ambassador said she is confident Zimbabwe will rise up from its economic challenges through its government philosophy of having its people building the country.
“Our country and Zimbabwe face similar challenges and I am impressed and believe the calls by the Zimbabwean President (Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa) that only the country’s citizen can effectively build their own country through a system that leaves no one behind” she said in an interview
A local woman in agriculture organization Zimbabwe Women Agribusiness Network is creating opportunities for women in the agriculture sector by creating synergies for training, resource mobilization and market identification.
Philipa Jaya, founding executive director of the network said women have been sidelined for financial inclusion for too long hence the need for women to join hands and work together in taking up their economical space.
“Our organization is driving for the emancipation of the woman farmer and advocates that she gets all the support she needs to effectively contribute to the economy of the country through agriculture, generally women are hard workers and all they want is support and I am happy that Ministry of Agriculture has seen the importance of aiding the woman farmer fulfilling the President’s mantra of leaving no one behind, through our organization we have different empowerment programs meant to uplift women through identifying market opportunities” she said
Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Hon Marian Chombo implored for the inclusion of more women in decision making and hailed the Zimbabwe Women Agribusiness Network for creating a platform for women to be effective economic contributors through agriculture.
“Women folk are the major players in the agriculture sector and they contribute the majority of the labour in this sector. However, it is sad to note that when it comes to decision making very few women are decision makers hence the need to support and strengthen this network.” She said
Minister Chombo said women farmers should take advantage of the country’s open for business philosophy that has created opportunities for synergies with other countries such as Nicaragua.
“We need to take up and utilize the opportunities we have, remember as said by our President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe is open for business and let’s take such opportunities being created by our relationships with countries like Nicaragua and accelerate the empowerment drive of women” Hon Chombo emphasized
Mrs Maltina Mashava, a farmer carrying out mixed agriculture at the farm encouraged women to productively utilize every inch of the land in their disposal “I have managed to bring out good yields from just a six-hectare piece of land after realizing you can effectively utilize what is available for the best, I have noted as farmers we become so ambitious and try to do very large areas which we fail to manage which made me realize that if you plough a small piece which you can fully manage you will get out best results” Mashava who is involved in cattle, goat rearing and cereal production at the farm told this publication.
Nicaragua Ambassador HE Curthbert and Minister Chombo during a farm tour
About Author
