Rural development is for everyone
MOST people know Mr Samson Nanhanga as one of the heavy hitters in the public transport sector.
As one of the directors of CAG Travellers Coaches, which boasts a fleet of 218 buses that ply dozens of routes across the country and beyond borders, the 45-year-old entrepreneur is widely known as a transport mogul.
He is also chairperson of the Amalgamated Bus Industries and the Zimbabwe Passenger Transport Organisation (ZPTO).
Few people, however, know of Mr Nanhanga’s closely kept secret: his passion for agriculture and rural development.
He is a prominent farmer in Kazangarare village, Hurungwe district, Mashonaland West province, where he is proving to be a shining example of how a commercial farming enterprise can be a vehicle for localised development and industrialisation through working hand in glove with communal farmers.
His farm, Nyahowa, is located right in the middle of rural Hurungwe and is fast becoming a centre of agricultural excellence.
Recently, the farm hosted a field day, with Permanent Secretary for Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Services in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Professor Obert Jiri saying the estate is an archetypal example of promoting rural development.
“We are impressed with what we have seen on this farm because it is empowering local villagers and championing rural development through promoting value addition,” he said.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail on his farm last week, Mr Nanhanga spoke of his dream to contribute to the transformation of this remote rural outpost into an industrial hub.
He is running a highly diversified agricultural enterprise encompassing mechanised citrus production; horticultural production; and tobacco farming.
He has since procured high-tech fruit juice manufacturing equipment with which he intends to value-add farm produce.
He is among the increasing number of farmers who are heeding President Mnangagwa’s call to industrialise rural areas as growth nodes of economic activity. Mr Nanhanga wants to become a reliable producer of fruit juices.
Targeting both the fresh fruit market and processed citrus fruits market, the farmer has put 12 hectares under lemons.
In addition, 10 hectares are under guava, while two hectares have been put under avocado.
Lucrative markets
His end goal is to penetrate lucrative fruit markets in Asia and Europe.
“I was in the Netherlands last week (a fortnight ago) and I noted that there is a ready market for our farm produce. Also, there is a huge demand for fruit juices on the domestic market. We cannot allow a situation where we import fruit juices when local farmers have both the land and the capacity to produce the same,” he added.
Apart from producing citrus fruits, he also has cabbages, broiler chickens and green mealies. Furthermore, he has so far put 94 hectares under irrigated tobacco. His target is to have 140 hectares under the cash crop. Last year, he harvested 444 000 kilogrammes of tobacco from 120 hectares.
“We have a symbiotic relationship with the villagers. I need their services and they also need our products. Rural development is not the responsibility of Government alone,” he said.
Nyahowa Farm employs 200 fulltime workers from surrounding villages.
It also helps the local community with potable water as Hurungwe is generally a dry area.
In addition, his company, CAG, also provides affordable transport services to Hurungwe, as four buses ply the Karoi-Kazangarare route daily.
Provision of reliable transport services, he said, was key to rural development.
“We cannot talk about rural development without mentioning public transport. As CAG, we make sure we try by all means to provide a reliable service that will help in bringing development to this area,” he said.
The businessman, however, bemoaned the bad state of local roads.
“We try our best to help in the rehabilitation of the roads. This is, however, a tough task. We occasionally provide fuel for use by council graders. For us to develop, we also need to contribute towards development.”
Mr Robson Mangombe, the local headman, commended the work being done by Mr Nanhanga in facilitating development.
“This farmer has a desire to help develop this area and villagers are benefitting immensely from initiatives on his farm. This means our entire village will grow as a result of his efforts,” he said.