ZIMPRO FARMING PROJECT

partnership SCHEME
ZimPro farming project
Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe
July 2011 update
From struggle to self-sufficiency
Elizabeth Ndlovu’s husband died in 2002 and she is
living with HIV. Last season, her maize crops had all
but failed and her situation was becoming desperate.
She had even been forced to sell her four chickens to
pay for family medical needs and other necessities.
Help from Christian Aid’s partner ZimPro has made all
the difference. Elizabeth says: ‘Within two years l will
be able to meet all my basic needs without support
from outsiders.’
‘My area is good for farming livestock,’ Elizabeth
continues. ‘The training I received from ZimPro on
small livestock production and management helped
me to manage my goats well. This training also taught
me skills to talk in public [more confidently] than
before. My status has improved and the community
recognises me and takes my views into account. I now
have nine chicks and one young male goat: my stock
is multiplying!’
Because of her HIV status, it is particularly important
for Elizabeth to eat a nutritious diet. Before ZimPro’s
intervention, her family was down to barely two
meals a day, but that has now changed: ‘I now enjoy
the milk from goats and it is recommended for my
health by the Ministry of Health. [Before] I had stress
when the Ministry of Health advised me to eat food
that will provide proteins in my body, because l had
no means to buy nutritious food. The eggs from
my chickens solved my problem. Thank you, ZimPro,
for your support.’
A catalogue of successes
Elizabeth Ndlovu’s new goats
Elizabeth lives in Insiza District, at the eastern end
of the Matabeleland South Region where ZimPro is
working. Due to her own poor health and the lack
of rainfall, her maize crop only produced 20 litres in
2010/11 – the previous year it had been at least five
times more. Her son in Harare was sending money
when he could, and her neighbours were helping, but
she didn’t have enough even for the most basic needs
of her small family. Her status in the community was
low and her opinions were disregarded.
But last year ZimPro offered support and already
Elizabeth’s life is improving. ‘In 2010 ZimPro provided
me with three she-goats and three chickens. l
also received training on livestock production and
management,’ she says.
ZimPro’s work has been very successful over this
past year and its latest report to Christian Aid included
details of a wide variety of activities. Just a few of
these are listed below.
• All of the government ‘extension workers’ (support
workers for farmers) for the area have now been
trained in conservation farming (CF) techniques, so
that they can spread this knowledge more widely
than ZimPro can achieve alone. ZimPro will continue
to support them in this.
• More than 430 farmers have now been trained in
CF techniques.
• More than 380 farmers have now benefited from
exchange visits to other farms, to see how to put
CF into practice.
• Almost 1,000 people have seen CF in action during
open days, helping to spread awareness of the
difference it can make.
• The first two peanut butter making machines (see
previous update) have now been delivered and the
other 10 have been bought and were due for delivery
to farmers’ groups in June. The first batch of 26 jars
of peanut butter have gone on sale locally.
• Materials have now been bought for 20 rainwaterharvesting tanks and construction started in June.
• The first 15 (of 45) water-pump maintenance
groups have been trained and are now managing
their pumps.
• One hundred and twenty people have had nutrition
training and ZimPro is using these first sessions to
gather more information about the challenges facing
people, in order to further improve the content of
the sessions.
Elizabeth Ndlovu’s chickens are already multiplying!
CF beneficiaries in Insiza District carrying out practical
demonstrations during training
Increased and sustained crop production
Preparation of land for a CF plot
Mrs Ntakana’s CF maize harvest
Celebrations for the winners of a local competition
promoting CF techniques
Better food access and nutrition
Nutrition training session
Early stage of vegetable production
Better water supplies for domestic and livestock use
Rehabilitated borehole
A lesson in pump maintenance
Sustainable livelihoods
Beneficiaries receiving goats
Margaret Godzo’s goats are also multiplying!
All pictures supplied by Christian Aid staff and partners in Zimbabwe.
If there is anything we can help your group with, including advice or additional
resources to help you promote your involvement in the Partnership Scheme, please
email partnershipscheme@christian-aid.org or call Max Khanna on 020 8123 7523.
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