Farmer encourages investment in infrastructure

Buhle Nkomo

Installation of an irrigation system is ideal for every farm and a dream for many farmers.


Tobacco farming is the country's largest foreign currency earner.

Tariro Dengwa (29) a tobacco farmer from Marondera has managed to invest in this capital intensive and labour involving yet very rewarding fit as she has installed an irrigation system to water her crops.

“I started tobacco farming in 2013 and have gradually increased my hectares from 1.5 hectares to the current eight, and most importantly I have managed to invest in irrigation infrastructure”, said Dengwa.

Dengwa whose net income this season was US$49000 has four hectares of irrigated tobacco and four on dry land.

From her proceeds, she purchased farm equipment which include a tractor, a truck and another 10,000 litre water tanks to store water for irrigation purposes.

Dengwa engaged people who constructed a weir and it was plastered and strengthened with cement.

Besides tobacco farming, Dengwa has a herd of cattle, a band of sheep, a tribe of goats, a gang of turkeys, a brood of roadrunners as well as a flock of geese.

As a way of crop rotation Dengwa said that they cultivate maize and beans which they then sell to individual business people, boarding schools, milling companies, have some for family consumption and sometimes pay for labour for those who would prefer maize to money.

“I started tobacco farming because it was said to be lucrative although I did not have adequate knowledge. Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board should invest more in extension services because for one to attain good quality and yields, one ought to adopt good farming practices. I use a farming booklet that I got from Kutsaga as my guide and it has helped me put the correct amount of fertilisers”, Dengwa added on.

“During the first two years I wasted money on labour since I used hired workers that charged per day. I now have permanent workers whom I pay approved wages on a monthly basis. These are the same people that we work with when we are grading so that we maintain the same grade of tobacco”, Dengwa said.

“Another seemingly small yet critical issue is weed management. Anything which is not tobacco in a tobacco field is a weed, and this includes other crops such as pumpkin leaves. I monitor my plants every day”, said Dengwa.

“I have also invested in rocket barns because even if you have a good leaf if it is not properly cured, you are doomed to failure,” she said.

She added “During last season when we experienced El-Nino induced long dry spells, for my dryland crop, I dug holes between plants which we filled with water so as to try and conserve moisture”.

“Being a tobacco farmer is not a walk in the park; there is no time to rest, because while you are waiting for the crop to mature, you will be preparing barns, once it matures, you start curing and taking the product to the market and while the marketing is ongoing, you destroy stalks and start on land preparation and the cycle continues” said Dengwa.

“One never has adequate financial resources and I encourage my female counterparts to venture into tobacco farming without hesitating because it is not intimidating as it looks.

"It is lucrative and a good vehicle of women empowerment as it enables us to provide for our families.

 "Tobacco is a commendable crop because it has a ready buyer no matter what quality one produces. It is also enables us to contribute significantly to economic growth and national development of Zimbabwe”, Dengwa concluded.