By Beverly Bizeki
As calls for women empowerment escalate, Zimbabwe Women Agribusiness Network (ZWAN) has embarked on a training program for women in Wendedzo, Masvingo Rural to embrace farming and climate-smart agriculture as a way of improving their livelihoods.
Speaking at the training event held at Ngonidzashe Mutodi’s homestead in Village 32, Wendedzo ZWAN Executive Director Philippa Jaya said the training was targeted at helping women find sources of livelihood in farming.
“The purpose of today’s training is to help women create sources of livelihood and help them see the opportunities available in agriculture while dispelling the myth that there is not much in farming as we share knowledge and network with key stakeholders in the ministry.
“During today’s training about 100 women and 10 men from the villages were taught how they can acquire financial assistance for starting projects from banks like the Women’s Bank,” said Jaya.
Ward 32 councilor Phios Chinyoka said he was impressed by ZWAN’s initiative of training women in farming as a business and said the initiative was key in reducing cases of domestic violence against women and contributing to economic growth.
“When women gain financial freedom, they can be of help to their families which often reduces cases of violence in families where the husband is the sole provider of the family. This initiative is therefore welcomed in our communities as it contributes to peace in the homes and economic development in our country,” said Chinyoka.
One of the beneficiaries of the program, Progress Mutodi said she was grateful to ZWAN for the programs offered to women and urged other women to embrace farming.
“I am grateful that ZWAN has programs to teach women about farming. At my age, people tend to ask what I am doing at the farm but my advice to them is they should embrace farming as I my able to sustain my family through farming,” said Progress.
Women were trained on the importance of climate-smart agriculture in fruit and mushroom farming.
The organization works in line with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development as the parent ministry and Zimbabwe Youth Council.
