More women should look at becoming farmers

Following in the footsteps of her grandmother, Edith Magwira decided to venture into crop farming on a small piece of land that she was offered by a local school in Musina. This despite her studying for financial management at a local TVET college.

According to Edith, the idea of farming came to her during the Covid-19 period when movement was restricted. “When I was still a teen, we used to visit my grandmother in the rural areas. My grandmother would take us to the fields where she practised farming,” she said.

The 27-year-old Edith said that she realised she could use the farming skills her grandmother had taught her. She started on a small scale on the piece of land made available to her by the school. She planted okra, spinach and watermelons, which she sold to local retailers.

The success of her small farming venture prompted Edith to buy a 25-hectare piece of land near Musina. The land still needs to be developed, and she will need to fence it off and sink a borehole.

Edith is very realistic about the fact that for a woman to succeed in this industry where men dominate is not easy. “As someone who is still new in this business, I usually go out sourcing equipment, and some men take advantage of that. Some men try to abuse me. This is not good at all,” she said.

Edith sees no difference between a male and a female farmer. “As long as women put in maximum effort, they will reap their reward,” she said. She encouraged more women to become farmers, especially those who struggle to secure formal employment.

Date:24 December 2022

By: Bernard Chiguvare

Bernard Chiguvare is a Zimbabwean-born journalist. He writes mainly for the online publication, Groundup.

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