CHEGUTU – SOMETIMES it is not the size of land one has that matters, rather it is a
matter of what one does with it.

Ngoni Maforimbo, 59, owns a six-hectare plot in the Seruwe (Selous) area of
Chegutu District.

Three years ago, he decided on focusing primarily on onion and wheat production,
based on market research that he undertook.

He has just completed harvesting of his wheat crop from the two-hectare field, which
gave him about eight tonnes contributing to the national wheat production, thus
securing Zimbabwe’s self-sufficiency in meeting bread and other wheat related
requirements.

But it is the onion crop that excites him at the moment. The thing is, he is only
growing the crop on about two hectares for markets in Chegutu, Kadoma, Kwekwe
and Gweru.

The success to his business is determined by understanding, the different varieties
to select for growing, where to buy inputs, when to grow what crops, and, of course,
the market.

His reaction to rewards from the horticultural production is a modest “zviri nani (it is
better)” and foresees a rise i=n production in the following half a decade before a
possible decline. He attributes this to his own age, as he suspects he will not be as
active as he is now.

Maforimbo’s success comes at a time the Government is urging farmers to minimise
land use but maximise harvests.

Maforimbo notes that he planned well and conducted his market research and
realised onions will be in high demand. The seed variety selection also helped him
realise a good harvest.

He urges farmers to utilise the land in farming crops that profitable, especially after
conducting market.

For Maforimbo, onions are the easiest crop to grow as they “simply require watering
and weeding”. – Rural Communication Services