Planting Seeds of the Future

Bulawayo - Sizinda Community Garden and Emganwini’s Green Field Garden are set to reach new levels of production following the recent acquisition of drip irrigation equipment for the two ZDDT supported horticultural projects.

Last year, Green Field Garden became the first of the four ZDDT gardens to partner with Sally Foundation in placing their entire commercial section of the operation under drip irrigation, and the new equipment will irrigate the part of the acreage dedicated to household use, a development that will surely give a much needed boost to individual pantries and
coffers.

In a bid to realise maximum output from their land, and not to be outdone by their Emganwini counterparts, Sizinda Community Garden also approached Sally Foundation through the Zimbabwe Development Democracy Trust (ZDDT) and requested an investment partnership to put their garden’s commercial section under drip irrigation.

Sizinda Community Garden Secretary, Mr. Ferreira, who was very jubilant and grateful, said they got the idea to irrigate after noting the success of the system at Emganwini Green Field Garden during a field day, after which they went back and asked that every gardener to contribute something towards the project.

“We raised 1200 Rands and we then said to Yvonne (ZDDT Horticultural Consultant) can you talk to our donors as maybe they can support this cause as we are also interested in getting the irrigation system here at Sizinda, and positive results came back” he added.

At Green Fields Garden the positive impact of drip irrigation has started showing, with funds generated from the sale of crops like tomatoes and red onions planted under drip, being used to purchase additional drip irrigation components, a powerful torch, and seeds.

The profits have also been shared among gardeners as is the principle of co-ownership among the members.

With the household section also going under drip, it is expected that each gardener can gross approximately $ 4200 ZWL per 3 months from sales of vegetable, while also supplementing their nutrition at home.

More-so, gardeners at Sizinda Community Garden were unanimous in stating that they were looking to replicate the same success achieved by their counterparts at Emganwini, and also finance some of their pipeline projects through profits realised from their newly irrigated commercial section.

In expressing their gratitude to ZDDT and Sally foundation for this great addition to their garden, beneficiaries at Sizinda community garden also thanked the benevolence of Chematek, a local company which provided the truck that carried the equipment to the garden and Elvis Nkosi who pitched in with his expertise that helped in installing the drip irrigation.