Zimbabwe: Self-taught peri-urban farmer enjoying fruits of hardwork
“I wake up every morning around 6am to supervise my employees. I am active in all activities on the plot and that has been my ticket to success. As the Government always advises, farmers must take farming as a business
By Patrick Chitumba
Chronicle
May 6, 2022
Excerpt:
MRS Tsitsi Barbara Katsande (46) of Gweru who owns a thriving plot Katsco (Pvt) Ltd, says she started farming as a hobby.
She refers to herself as a “city girl” as she grew up in Chitungwiza and never imagined that one day she would venture into farming.
What began as a simple backyard garden has grown into a thriving business with fresh produce sold to shops, supermarkets and Gweru residents.
Mrs Katsande grows cabbages, potatoes, green pepper, carrots, sugar beans and green vegetables on her one-hectare plot.
She has three green houses that each take up to 600 tomato plants as well as two fowl runs and two incubators.
She has also registered a catering company called SteadyHands and uses fresh produce from her plot and chickens she keeps to make delicacies for functions such as weddings, funerals and birthday parties, among others.
She offers delivery services for her fresh baskets in and around Gweru using a 2.5 tonne truck she bought with proceeds from her market gardening venture.
Mrs Katsande was runner-up in the 2021 Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce Businesswoman of the Year award 2021, and is vice-chairperson of the Gweru Peri-Urban Farmers’ Association.
