Posts by Staff Writer
Soil-less farming using hydroponics for fresh produce
With the pressure to produce more food with less available inputs such as land or water, an enterprising small business in Marondera is growing vegetables using hydroponics, a revolutionary farming technique that defies conventional norms of vegetable gardening. Hydroponics involves growing plants in a water-based, nutrient-rich solution, eliminating the need for traditional soil. A trip…
Read MoreZimbabwe dairy legend Christopher “Stoff” Hawgood receives 2025 ZADF Oscar award
The Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF) has honoured Stoff Hawgood with the prestigious 2025 Dairy Oscar Award for his exceptional contribution to Zimbabwe’s dairy industry. The award was presented during ZADF’s Annual General Meeting in Beatrice, where Hawgood’s remarkable journey from farm birth to industry leadership was celebrated by dairy stakeholders from across the…
Read MoreFarming through Zimbabwe’s transformation: A 35-year journey
Reflections on agriculture, resilience, and the evolving landscape of Zimbabwean farming My name is Stuart Tippett, and I farm in Marondera North. Over the past 35 years, I’ve witnessed Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector transform through periods of stability, crisis, and renewal. This is my reflection on that journey – a story of adaptation, resilience, and the…
Read More57th National Breed Sale set to showcase industry resilience
The Zimbabwe Herd Book’s 57th National Breed Sale is set to take place on Friday 25 July. This much-anticipated annual fixture on our agricultural calendar will demonstrate the livestock sector’s remarkable resilience. The upcoming event takes place as Zimbabwe’s livestock industry navigates its third consecutive year of severe drought in some regions, while other areas…
Read MoreIndigenous livestock breeds
Nguni sheep: Indigenous small livestock At the ADMA Indigenous Breeds Sale, besides the Mashona, Nkone and Tuli cattle – all indigenous Zimbabwean breeds known for their hardiness – there also were two breeds of sheep on exhibition in the new small livestock pens section. The first breed were Dorpers, recognisable by their uniform black heads…
Read MoreZimbabwe’s 2024/25 maize recovery
This agricultural season tells a tale of dramatic recovery following Southern Africa’s worst drought in recent history. The 2023/24 summer rainfall season, characterised by El Niño conditions and a devastating mid-season drought, forced regional heads of state to declare emergencies. South Africa lost about 20% of its crop, Zambia 50% and Zimbabwe recording a devastating…
Read MoreRecord-breaking national tobacco yield smashes output target
Tobacco production this year has exceeded the 300 million kg annual target set by the Government of Zimbabwe’s Tobacco Value Chain Transformation Plan. As at day 74 of sales, 309 million kg of flue-cured Virginia have been sold, compared with 212 million kg on the same day last year. In 2023, sales fell tantalisingly short…
Read MoreSaturday’s 10th Boran production sale set for excellence
In Zimbabwe, the Boran cattle, continue to gain countrywide recognition and build on their reputation as a breed with the ability to turn low-grade roughage into high-quality beef. Exported from Kenya to South Africa, Zambia and beyond, these adapted, resilient, hardy and fertile cattle have proven their value, and here in Zimbabwe, they continue to…
Read MoreADMA Agrishow wraps up another successful indigenous cattle breed sale
Zimbabwe’s premier agricultural showcase has closed its doors until 2026, but not before making history with its strongest indigenous cattle sale yet. The 9th ADMA Agrishow reinforced its position as Zimbabwe’s biggest agricultural event, strategically timed mid-year to avoid clashing with regional competitors Nampo (South Africa) and Agritech (Zambia). Next year marks the milestone 10th…
Read MoreZimbabwe’s indigenous livestock find their spotlight at ADMA Agrishow
With only a few days to go until the ADMA Agrishow (ART Farm, Pomona, Harare Drive), final adjustments are being made for the show’s second indigenous livestock breeds exhibition and sale – an event that represents nearly eight decades of overdue recognition for Zimbabwe’s hardy native cattle. At Saturday’s auction (7 June, final day of…
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