First Lady launches first-of-its-kind Agrotourism4She programme

Tendai Rupapa in BUHERA

Trailblazing tourism patron, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, yesterday launched a first-of-its-kind Agrotourism4She Programme in Manicaland Province, heralding a new era for hard-working women and thrusting many onto the pedestal of success.

The well-subscribed launch took place at the homestead of Mr and Mrs Taranhike in Mukoto Village, Buhera.

Mrs Christina Taranhike is an Agric4She beneficiary who is into poultry, dairy traditional grains, citrus, bee-keeping and the production of literally all farm produce.

The launch brought together academics, tertiary institutions from across the country, tourism organisations, Government officials and people from all walks of life who were left in awe by the activities that take place at the homestead, which boasts internet connectivity in the heart of rural Buhera, thanks to Agric4She patron, the First Lady.

Taking notes from the First Lady’s teachings and initiatives, Mrs Taranhike joined forces with other women from the surrounding communities and is involved in beneficiation and value addition of their farm produce and other locally available fruits.

They are also making baobab sweets, baobab coffee, baobab juice, baobab smoothie, sorghum meal, pearl meal, honey, peanut butter, garlic powder, ginger, turmeric powder, wheat meal, roundnuts soup thickener, millet, boiled and dried groundnuts, biltong, among many others.

The First Lady encouraged the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority to work with this group of women who are doing value addition to promote agricultural practices that contribute to the growth of domestic tourism in the country.

This brings out Agrotourism4She.

The picturesque homestead with well-manicured gardens has an array of indigenous trees that add to its beauty while providing a breath of fresh air.

There is a fenced portion where there are well-kempt graves of family members, keeping the family’s history intact for the benefit of generations to come.

The significance of cultural tourism was portrayed, which saw Amai Mnangagwa and many others present having a tour of the Garden of Remembrance at the Taranhike homestead, where the family’s great-grandmother, who died at the age of 120, is buried.

The family credited her long life to the consumption of traditional foods.

Dr Mnangagwa also toured exhibition stands that were set up by women from the province who were showcasing produce from their gardens and fields.

Of note were raboo bananas, which are popular in Manicaland.

The bananas captured everyone’s attention owing to their gigantic appearance.

Also on display were large pumpkins and an assortment of root, leaf and fruit vegetables.

Beneficiaries of the First Lady’s Traditional meal Cookout Competition showcased a motley of traditional dishes they prepared from starter to dessert.

Dr Mnangagwa gave a brief account of how the Agric4She Programme has spawned the Agrotourism programme with no sign of ever looking back.

“Our mothers and grandmothers did not know how the issue would end when we started growing traditional grains. I then started cookout competitions and we saw many things including the way these foods are prepared in different provinces but also showing the way the foods are consumed. I saw that these differences in preparing traditional dishes define our way of life, our norms, practices and values. This also brought to the fore the cultural aspect,” she said.

The First Lady also highlighted the objective of the Agrotourism4She programme.

“Agrotourism looks at where we stay and what others can see from us. This homestead is awash with everything that defines a home, and even the trees she is preserving. So all these are lessons that she is giving to other women and all coming from the Agric4She programme. Agric4She has spawned Agrotourism. We see people flying to tour other countries but here have you visited and seen what your neighbour has? Let us start visiting one another and seeing such homesteads so that we promote domestic tourism. In line with what Professor Rukuni has said, the programmes are now combined as we started with Agric4She alone as women, but today we have combined many concepts. As women, we did not end there, we decided to leave zvemakuhwa and be constructive and came up with Agrotourism4She. As women, never look down upon yourselves. If you see yourself being ridiculed or slighted, you must stand and say you can’t do that to me because I have such and such a thing at my house and what is it that is at your house? Let your success speak for itself through other people. You must be spoken of in a positive way. We need to lure both foreign and domestic tourists. We want all of us to start in Agric4She before venturing into agrotourism. Manicaland has the capacity to raise the GDP for the province and the whole country through agrotourism. What is inherent in Manicaland is not there anywhere else countrywide. Keep your God-given heritage as we come from other places to see that which we do not have back home. But if you destroy what you have, you won’t benefit. Here, there are magnificent mountains that are adorned with trees and there are places that are sacred. You do not talk willy-nilly lest you disappear,” she said in jest.

Dr Mnangagwa said Manicaland indeed had breathtaking views.

“There are many beautiful places like the tea estates, which we do not get elsewhere. There is coffee, banana and macadamia, which we do not get elsewhere,” she said.

Speaking at the same occasion, Professor Mandivamba Rukuni of Zimche praised the First Lady for her vision.

“The way she sees things makes us excel because she looks at the past where we came from as the people of Zimbabwe, she sees far and takes the good things therefrom and places here. She is also forward-looking and some of us as professors are now following her vision. This Agrotourism4She concept brings together many sectors and that’s how great it is. I personally learnt about farming. But if you only farm, you probably sell things twice or thrice a year. If you grow maize, you only sell once; if you also grow groundnuts, you only sell them once. But with this Agrotourism4She concept that has been brought by our mother, women are now reaping huge cash rewards all year round. However, the beauty of this programme is that when we talk of agriculture, rural industrialisation, and environmental preservation, all these concepts are combined by agrotourism. This concept will see hotels in the village. If it continues on that upward trajectory, we shall recommend that the First Lady’s programme be made part of the curriculum so that people get certificates, diplomas, degrees, and I would advocate for research at PHD level because this is an issue that is transforming the rural areas rapidly. I conclude by saying thank you, mhamha, for your vision, and if it were possible, we would call for exchange visits with people from other parts of the world,” he said.

Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Advocate Misheck Mugadza expressed delight in the First Lady’s life-transforming interventions.

“We would like to welcome you, Your Excellency, to Manicaland Province and more specifically to Mukoto Village in Buhera District for this groundbreaking launch of the Agro-tourism4she, which you lead. Your Excellency, your visionary leadership in promoting traditional Zimbabwean cuisine, cultural heritage, rural development and inclusive Agric4She continues to set an example that is an inspiration to us all. We recognise and appreciate that this is your second time visiting this particular place to consider the launch of the Agrotouris4She programme as a major recognition of the work being carried out here and in the whole of Manicaland Province. We are thus greatly honoured and humbled by your presence and support. The theme of this historic conference goes: Growing together, bridging agricultural and tourism for a prosperous tomorrow. This truly reflects our desire to sustain development and empower rural communities. Today, therefore, we celebrate not only the vision of agrotourism but also the empowerment of women in our agricultural sector. Our province has seven vibrant districts, each contributing to our agricultural tapestry. Your Excellency, this Agrotourism4She launch opens up Manicaland as a national leader in agrotourism,” he said.

Adv Mugadza said Buhera district’s distinct advantage was in traditional grain farming.

The First Lady gave certificates to women who are excelling in Agric4she and championing the concept.

In addition, they were given inputs for millet, sunflower, maize seed, cowpeas, and fruit trees.

Beneficiaries were grateful to the mother of the nation.

The Host, Mrs Taranhike hailed the First Lady for her well-meaning programmes.

“I wish to thank the First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, for the Agric4She programme that has taken us to another level. As women, we no longer grow crops for household consumption but we are now doing it at the community level and earning money. I thank our mother for elevating us, and this has ended violence in our homes as we are gainfully engaged through her assistance,” she said.

Mrs Anne Kakoma of Nyanga was over the moon.

“I thank our mother for this programme because we are growing and are now even selling our traditional dishes to tourists. As women, we were looked down upon but now we are now high up there,” she said.

Mr Clemence Mutashu, Headman Mombeyarara under chief Makumbe hailed the cultural tourism concept at the homestead saying gravesites were no longer eerie places because of cultural tourism.

“Generations upon generations will know who lies buried everywhere. Burying people at home is not bad at all as long as they are well-kempt,” he said – Herald