By Staff Reporter
In a powerful demonstration of institutional vision and agricultural enterprise, the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ)-run Makumbe High School in Buhera has transformed its agricultural section into a thriving hub of production and sustainability thanks to the strategic hiring of a dedicated agronomist.
The school’s farm now boasts a growing herd of 17 cattle, a vibrant fish pond stocked with nearly 9,000 fish nearing harvest size, and a productive poultry unit with 186 layers supplying eggs daily. This impressive turnaround stems from a deliberate decision by the school to move beyond relying solely on teaching staff to manage agricultural activities.
Speaking at the Speech and Price Giving Day held at the school recently, the School Development Committee Chairperson Evelyne Chipadza said they had future plans to develop the poultry project into a commercial one.
She also said they intended to expand the garden as they utilized every part of the current garden and embark on cattle fattening projects.
“We intend to expand our poultry project into a commercial one and we also want to expand the garden which is becoming smaller to our needs and start a cattle fattening project,” said Chipadza.
The Deputy Head Stewart Mukono said the school previously assigned teachers to oversee the agricultural section but soon recognized the need for specialized, full-time expertise.
“We realized we needed to employ someone who would be solely responsible and that decision has propelled the school’s development to such an extent that we have no more land to utilize. We have the potential, and we are now planning to acquire more land or a school farm to expand,” said Mukono
The farm’s success is directly benefiting learners’ nutrition. The deputy head confirmed that most of the food served in the school dining hall was now produced on-site.
A walk through the gardens reveals cabbages ready for harvest, covo, and various other vegetables at different stages of growth, a strategic approach ensuring a constant, uninterrupted supply.
Guided by an agricultural motto that declares, “We eat what we kill,” the school’s philosophy is one of self-reliance.
Purchases are made only to supplement what they cannot yet produce. Fields of maize have grown past knee-level, and tomatoes are being continually harvested. The institution’s protein sources are also largely self-generated. In addition to the ongoing broiler projects, Makumbe High stands out as one of the few schools in the area that keeps its own cattle.
“We have been relying on our garden for tomatoes, vegetables, onions, and many other things. We have eggs, chicken and beef here so we only buy less to supplement what we have. While many institutions depend entirely on butchers for meat, here we can slaughter our own livestock, ensuring a supply of fresh, high-quality beef for its learners.” he said.
The agronomist driving the success, Ackson Machimbidzofa, reported that the garden was thriving and expressed eagerness to scale operations.
“We are raring to go if the school acquires more land, we just need more land and we have all the potential for greater output,” said Machimbidzofa
