BY PATRICA SIBANDA
Hwange Local Board (HLB) is set to establish nutritional community gardens in every ward in its area of jurisdiction to boost income and household food security among vulnerable families.
HLB chairman councillor Nqobile Mabhena said the local authority saw the setting-up of community gardens as one of the numerous initiatives aimed at alleviating poverty among vulnerable members of the society.
“We are working on introducing at least one community garden in each ward as early as the beginning of next year.
“This is a standing council resolution. These community gardens are expected to play a pivotal role in improving livelihoods of less fortunate members of our communities,” Mabhena said.
He said the HLB was taking a leaf from other councils such as the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) which availed pieces of land in several high-density suburbs nearly two decades ago for community gardens.
“We have seen successful implementation of such projects in Bulawayo and in some urban areas. We are also grateful that the one pioneered by councillor Tendai Sibanda in Empumalanga suburb has proved to be a success,” Mabhena said.
Last year, Sibanda through the ward committee identified an area for the setting up of Sizimisele community garden close to Mpumalanga shopping centre.
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“Our intention is to farm right throughout the year thus it means we have to embark on horticultural production, whereby we will be producing crops such as tomatoes, onions, cabbages among others. We see this as a way of improving the sustainability of our projects and increasing income for the beneficiaries,” Sibanda said.
Sibanda, however, said lack of funds was stalling progress in completing the projects.
“We need to erect a security fence right round the garden.
“We also need a borehole to provide us with a reliable source of water to irrigate throughout the year instead of relying on rains as doing so will limit us to cropping maize only,” she said.
HLB town secretary Pastor Mdlalose said the HLB welcomed partnerships with other stakeholders to make the vision a success.
“We are quite aware that it’s (community garden) a livelihood enhancement programme thus the reason we have availed land for that purpose.
“We are inviting other stakeholders to partner us in operationalising the concept be it through their corporate social responsibility mandate or otherwise,” he said.
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