Posts by Staff Writer
Form follows function
The philosophy of purpose over aesthetics George Hulme of Pungeni Nkone stud speaks with the clarity of someone who has spent decades observing cattle navigate the unforgiving landscape of Zimbabwe. His words carry a weight that transcends mere breeding philosophy: “Let us not forget that our Nkone are a functional efficient breed despite the pretty…
Read MoreThreat of aphid-borne virus diseases outbreaks in the 2025-26 tobacco growing season
By Zimazile Jazi and Charles Karavina Tobacco insect-monitoring activities by Kutsaga have shown higher aphid populations across major tobacco-growing regions of Zimbabwe at this stage of the 2025-2026 season compared to previous years. This concerning trend is being driven by multiple factors, including non-compliance with key tobacco production regulations such as stalk destruction and non-adherence…
Read MoreKutsaga Innovation Challenge 2025
Celebrating youth-led agripreneurship solutions for a sustainable and resilient future By KF Chitambira; TP Munhenga; O Mudadisi; KZN Chiwanga; G Zvobgo; K Mateva; S Dimbi Figure 1: Kutsaga management, the Innovation Challenge organising committee, and the top three winners of the Kutsaga Innovation Challenge 2025 The 2025 Kutsaga Innovation Challenge marked a defining moment in Zimbabwe’s agricultural innovation…
Read MoreData-driven cattle breeding: Transforming century-old operations through systematic measurement
Based on a presentation by Sonja Schneider at the 2025 Zimbabwe Herd Book Beef School About Okamutombe Farm Operating in Namibia’s challenging 410mm median rainfall environment, the Schneider family has maintained successful cattle farming at Okamutombe Farm since 1912. Today, they run one of Africa’s largest Brahman studs alongside a substantial commercial herd producing oxen and…
Read MoreAfrica’s largest tobacco processing facility opens
His Excellency, President Emmerson Mnangagwa officially opened the Cut Rag Processors (CRP) tobacco manufacturing plant in Aspindale, Harare. The facility, which represents an investment of between USD 100-120 million, is now the largest tobacco processing plant on the African continent. The new facility is equipped with advanced German and Italian technology and has the capacity…
Read MoreBasics of veld management: A practical guide for cattle farmers
By Dr D.M. “Mick” Gammon The cattle farmer has been blessed with the most wonderful crop: grass. It requires no cultivation, no planting, no fertilisation, and no weeding or disease control. It is reaped by unpaid harvesters that process it into a high-quality product and in their spare time they see to fertilisation and soil…
Read MoreWhen determination outweighs resources
A smallholder’s firsthand account of growing wheat this year The following is an unfiltered, first-hand account from a small-scale farmer in rural Zimbabwe who dared to plant wheat when everyone said it couldn’t be done. We often talk about food security, agricultural transformation, and supporting smallholder farmers in abstract terms, through statistics, policy papers, and…
Read MoreSnake-proofing your fowl runs: A guide for small-scale farmers
Snakes pose a recurring challenge to poultry keepers, particularly during wet seasons when these reptiles become more active. Understanding how to protect your flock while respecting the ecological role of snakes is essential for sustainable farming practices. Understanding snake attraction to poultry areas The primary draw for snakes to chicken coops isn’t the birds themselves,…
Read MoreFarming ducks
By Ross Gordon Cooper Searches for articles in the literature pertinent to the care of ducks revealed 49 papers and two manuals specialising in duck husbandry. Relevant details thereof are alliterated below. The management of duck concerns depends on their size. The small home flock kept in a yard would include a simple, partially-enclosed shed,…
Read MoreThe benefits of crossbreeding in beef cattle
By Prof. Esté van Marle-Köster (PhD Pr. Anim. Sci) This week we share another of the excellent topics presented at Zimbabwe Herd Book’s annual Beef School. Crossbreeding is a smart breeding strategy that has changed beef cattle farming around the world. To understand why farmers choose crossbreeding, we need to look at the basic genetics…
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