With too few young people traditionally interested in farming, the Organic Farming Academy (OFA) and its partner Fairtrade Support Network of Zimbabwe (FSNZ) have been working diligently to attract this group to their activities. Their efforts are now paying off in Binga, where a growing number of youths are now prospective Rosella farmers.
Binga, known for its socio-economic challenges, often sees its youths turning to fishing and illegal gold panning, leaving farming largely to elderly women. However, Shamiso Mungwashu, a project coordinator at FSNZ, expressed excitement about the increasing interest among young people in Rosella farming.
“It’s exciting when youths find their place in farming. Traditionally, many young people have aspired to leave their villages in search of jobs in the city. However, Fairtrade-certified Hibiscus (Rosella) farming offers them the chance to enter competitive markets while actively contributing to the development of their communities, “Shamiso said.
“I can’t think of a greater impact than having the future of a society secured environmentally, economically, and socially through youth involvement in farming,” added Shamiso, who trains Fairtrade and FairWild organic certification standards.
One young woman, Fiona Chuma (21) from Chakasanda Village in Binga, believes organic farming could help her combat the issue of child marriages that plague her community. “As you know, child marriages are rampant in this area. By venturing into organic farming, I will be able to support myself and not see marriage as the only escape from poverty,” she explained.
Another aspiring Rosella farmer, Mumpande Joshua (35) from Kankonde Village, is hopeful that organic farming will improve his livelihood since it is less resource-intensive than conventional farming. “Unlike other farming methods that require costly inputs such as chemicals, organic farming is more accessible because it does not require much capital. That’s why I’m eager to get involved,” Mumpande shared.
There are 825 youths aged between 18-35 who are registered as Rosella farmers by our partner, Organic Africa.Interestingly,603 are females and 222 are males.