Good Rains, Good Returns: Community Market Gardens Cash In on Maize Harvests

Bulawayo's township-based market gardens are enjoying a promising agricultural season, with healthy crops, favourable weather, and steady demand combining to create positive momentum.

As harvests roll in and sales begin to pick up, the gardens are not only strengthening local food supply but also opening up meaningful income opportunities, hinting at a productive and profitable period ahead.

Kirimuva Garden and Greenfield are celebrating a successful maize and green mealies harvest, as favourable rains and the persistent effort of members have translated into healthy yields and growing income.

The thriving crops, nurtured through the peak of the season, have brought renewed optimism to the gardeners, who are now reaping both food security and financial benefits from their hard work.

The harvest has also strengthened community access to fresh produce while reinforcing the value of small-scale, climate-responsive agriculture.

Kirimuva Garden has already generated USD 500 from maize sales and has confidently planted a second batch of maize in its garden beds to fully capitalise on the good rains this season.

“We are very happy with the amount of money we have generated from our maize sales and we intend to plant and sell more as it has proven to be a high selling crop,” enthusiastically commented Na Dereck, Kirimuva garden Treasurer.

Meanwhile, Greenfield continues to steadily sell green mealies and maize, recording encouraging profits as demand remains high.

The positive outcomes at both sites highlight how strategic planning, favourable weather, and careful market access planning are helping community gardens grow into sustainable income-generating ventures.