GOVERNMENT this week launched an agriculture business unit at Bulawayo’s Nketa High School to promote horticulture production at the learning centre as it targets to establish 10 000 agro-business units by year end.
The project will be implemented on a three-hectare piece of land near the school.
The school head, Levhuwani Muchemedzi said learners will benefit from farming skills and the school is already looking for a reliable market for their produce.
“Let me begin by acknowledging our incredible effort of cultivating 700 tomato plants, 2 000 cabbages and 2 000 onions. This has not only taught our students valuable agricultural skills, we also expect bountiful yields,” Muchemedzi said.
“These projects have contributed to the scaling up of the availability of fresh produce within our community. However, ... a reliable market is needed and this remains a challenge. Also fencing is needed to provide security."
Speaking during the project launch, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development secretary Obert Jiri hailed the school for coming up with the business Unit.
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“This school business unit represents a significant milestone for our school and the Nketa community. It serves as a testament to our commitment towards fostering innovation and entrepreneurial skills among our students. National Development Strategy 1 is aimed at making Zimbabwe an upper middle income status by the year 2030,” said Jiri.
“It is through such initiatives that the nation can realise its aspirations and fulfil its vision.”
He added: “The importance of having a School Business Unit cannot be overstated. lt not only provides practical learning experiences for our students, but also instils in them a sense of responsibility, creativity and entrepreneurship by engaging in various projects within the unit, such as the borehole, nutritional garden, fish pond and indigenous poultry. Our students and youths in Nketa community, Bulawayo and Zimbabwe at large gain valuable hands-on experience in agriculture, animal husbandry, and sustainable resource management.
“Sadly, the recent occurrence of the El Niño phenomenon has had a negative impact on our Communities’ and education as a whole. The prolonged drought, coupled with reduced agricultural productivity, has caused immense hardship for our farmers and affected the livelihoods of many families."