Angelah Nothando Mlotshwa
ADRA (Adventist Development Relief Agency) a Non-Governmental Organisation affiliated to the Seventh Day Adventist Church has held a field day for farmers in Umguza.
This field day was targeted at peri-urban farmers who are into horticulture. The event was revolutionary in the sense that SEED-CO a company known for maize seeds is now venturing into other agricultural inputs.
“The purpose of this field day is to spearhead development agricultural programmes”, said SEED-CO Field Officer Joshua Magwaza.
“…why horticulture, because it is profitable and a good business side of farming. In addition as farmers choose products of high quality because they are disease tolerance”, said SEED-CO General Manager Felistas Ndahwi Gurajena.
ZIM GBC NEWS interviewed one beneficiary who welcomed ADRA and SEED-CO’s programmes that are targeted at peri-urban farmers in Umguza.
“We learnt a lot today. I didn’t know it was necessary to buy seeds when growing tomatoes. My methods were quite primitive.”
“We have different seed variables and are planted differently according to seasons, the amount of rainfall during the rainy season for example the Monkey, elephant and Zebra seeds germinates earlier (7 days) but the harvest season is different. Monkey can be harvested earlier than the other two”, said Head Officer for sales team Beauty K Magiya.
This field day was held at Montgomery Farm just outside the City of Bulawayo.