Tshifhiwa Mafua, an emerging young farmer from Madimbo village outside Musina, believes that establishing vegetable gardens and growing one's own produce instead of buying is the most efficient way to fight hunger during tough economic times.
Mafua recently initiated a charity programme where he distributes vegetable seedlings free of charge to local schools and crèches. The aim is to supplement their learner's feeding schemes. He began the initiative by handing over 2,000 seedlings to Madimbo Primary School and Madimbo Community Crèche.
In 2019, Mafua started farming on a piece of land at Nwanedi. Within a year, he noticed that local farmers were traveling long distances to obtain seedlings for their crops. This inspired him to establish a seedling section on his farm, where he grows different seedlings to sell to local farmers.
Regarding his charity initiative for schools, Mafua stated, "I believe if we start by empowering schools, it will encourage young children to develop an interest in farming. Teaching them about farming from a young age can create future successful farmers who will create jobs and contribute to the economic development of our area. Additionally, having vegetable gardens in schools will enhance the nutritional value of feeding schemes, as children need vegetables to grow healthy. It will also save money for schools, as they can get vegetables on their premises instead of buying them."