Youth farmer leverages Government agriculture thrust: Rears 285 head of cattle, targets 1 000ha field

AT just 30, Mr Takudzwanaishe Bonyongwa of Golden Barley farm in Kwekwe District in the Midlands province employs over 200 people attending to 530 hectares of land under maize and soya beans crops.

The youth quit his accounting job soon after graduating with an accounting degree to enroll at an agricultural school, something that did not go down well with his father who is, however, now proud of the productivity at his son’s farm.

While many youths complain that agriculture is hard and less attractive, Mr Bonyongwa is still hungry for success as he is targeting to put 1 000 ha under crops in two years’ time.

Apart from cropping Mr Bonyongwa has 285 head of cattle.
For his hard work, the young farmer was among youthful farmers that were presented with certificates by President

Mnangagwa for their achievements in agriculture during the National Youth Day held at Lupane State University (LSU) in Matabeleland North last month.

Mr Bonyongwa said he walked proudly to the podium to receive his certificate from his icon President Mnangagwa.

He is one of the youths in agriculture who have been a good example when it comes to productivity in the sector.

Under the Second Republic, youth empowerment programmes have featured more prominently with Government taking a deliberate move to increase their participation in the economy.

“I felt so honoured and shocked at the same time walking to the podium to be handed the certificate by President Mnangagwa. This should also serve as an inspiration to all youths out there who are starting up within the agriculture sector,” he said.

After going through primary school at Russell Primary and later Midlands Christian College (MCC), Mr Bonyongwa joined a top local accounting firm.

He then enrolled with the University of South Africa while working at the accounting firm.
But soon after graduation in 2017, he quit to pursue his passion for agriculture.

The son of former Kwekwe Executive Mayor Councillor Stanford Bonyongwa, the young farmer said he felt the white collar job was not his preferred destination.

“I have an Accounting Degree and was working for one of the leading professional services firms providing Audit, Consulting, Corporate Finance, Taxation Services and Risk Advisory in Zimbabwe but I felt that was not my calling. I knew I would find satisfaction in tilling the land and I quit that job to find myself,” he said.

Born on May 25 in 1993, Mr Bonyongwa said he now employs over 200 workers at his farm where he grows maize, wheat, soya beans and barley.

After quitting his accounting job, he enrolled for an agriculture diploma with Blackfordby College of Agriculture in Mazowe, Mashonaland Central.

“You see; I went to the college of agriculture knowing what I wanted in life. I was so committed to my studies and, I graduated with 13 Distinctions and received eight awards of excellence,” said Mr Bonyongwa.

Mr Bonyongwa said his good grades at the agricultural college changed his father’s heart.
“My father was not keen on me going to the agricultural college at first but he started giving me support and inquiring how I was doing at school when he started seeing my good grades,” he said.

Mr Bonyongwa with his tractors and (below) his thriving maize field at Golden Barley farm in Kwekwe

Mr Bonyongwa said upon attaining the agriculture qualification, his father handed over the farm to him when he was just 26 years old in 2019.

“The first thing I did was to move permanently to the farm so that I could supervise while on the ground. My father stayed in town and would visit the farm now and then,” he said.

Mr Bonyongwa said before taking full- time farming, the farm was producing an average of five tonnes of maize per hectare.
“Now for example, I am looking at an average of 10 to 12 tonnes per hectare.

The yield for winter wheat has also increased from four tonnes per hectare to about 6,5 tonnes and these are just examples of how we are revolutionising the farm. My aim is to get higher yields so that we make a profit,” he said.

Mr Bonyongwa said he only has 100 ha of land and is leasing additional land from neighbouring farms.
“We only have 100 hectares which were no longer big enough and I decided to lease additional land from neighbouring farms. I now have over 530 ha of land where we are farming. I wish to increase the hectarage to about 1 000 ha, here I am talking of attaining an Estate status,” he said.

Mr Bonyongwa said he is taking farming as a business and is partnering with the Government through facilitated arrangements, such as CBZ Agro-Yield formerly known as Command Agriculture.

Bonyongwe maize field

He said he has also managed to partner with the private sector through contract farming facilities.
“These partnerships enable me to be very conscious of cost structure, with the aim of attaining the highest possible yield/ return so as to satisfy the obligations of the contract.

These partnerships make us business people in farming accountable and answerable as we aim to stick to the stipulations, terms and conditions of contract farming, thus making us not any different to any business institution out there,” said Mr Bonyongwa.

President Mnangagwa has described agriculture as one of the major pillars of the country’ economy, hence the Government’s thrust to empower youths who constitute 62 percent of the total population.
He has also championed the Provincial Integrated Youths Skills Development Centres helping the young-chronicle.cl.zw