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Planting indoors
By Ross G. Cooper (Email: rgcooperuk@yahoo.com) Indoor plant hobbies are extremely varying, satisfying and rewarding. I collect seeds from fruits, vegetables and wild trees and sow them in indoor pots. The seeds should be carefully extracted and dried on a windowsill usually for a day. Planting them requires a well-drained soil and I suggest using…
Zimbabwe Herd Book announces exciting small stock addition to upcoming Beef School
From September 16-18, the Zimbabwe Herd Book (ZHB) will host its annual Beef School in Bulawayo. The choice of Bulawayo as the venue reflects the city’s central role in Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector. This year marks the 13th iteration of Beef School and this year’s programme is under the theme “iSmart” – representing Impactful, Insightful, Scientific, Modern,…
Dirk Odendaal receives CFU Farming Oscar Award 2025
The Commercial Farmers’ Union has announced Dirk Odendaal as the recipient of the 2025 Farming Oscar Award, recognising his outstanding service to Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector spanning over four decades. The Zimbabwean Farming Oscar Award, with its distinguished 64-year history since its introduction in 1961, continues to honour individuals who have demonstrated exceptional service to agriculture.…
Growing chilli
By Ross G. Cooper Email: rgcooperuk@yahoo.com Capsicum (chilli) is normally sown in rows in September-December in Zimbabwe and takes 7-12 days to germinate and 16-17 weeks to reach crop maturity. The return is so much greater from a few fruits that, if dried, will keep for years. The average depth to sow is 1cm, at…
Aquaponics shows promise for African agriculture
Africa faces mounting food security challenges, and innovative agricultural solutions are becoming increasingly necessary. One technology gaining attention is aquaponics, a system that combines fish farming with crop production. Martin Fick, originally from Beatrice, Zimbabwe, has spent 15 years developing aquaponics systems across Sub-Saharan Africa through his company, Practical Aquaponics SA. Operating from Makhanda (formerly…
Brahmans maintain dominance as Zimbabwe’s breed of choice
Zimbabwe’s cattlemen continue to show their preference for Brahman cattle, as demonstrated at the 57th National Breed Sale that concluded in late July. The numbers tell the story of the Brahman breed’s enduring appeal: 27 Brahman bulls changed hands during the event, with the day’s standout sale reaching USD 40,000. This top price was attained…
Apodemus sylvaticus, a potential threat to seed crops
Ross G. Cooper, D.Phil., rgcooperuk@yahoo.com The wood mouse (A. sylvaticus, Family: Muridae, Order: Rodentia), a common sighting in North-West Africa and Europe, is, like most rodents, often associated with post-harvest threats to seed crops (Swai et al., 2019). Potentially, road, train and ship transport are facilitating it’s migration down to southern Africa and into Zimbabwe.…
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…
Zimbabwe 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…
Farming 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…