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[QUOTE="Queen, post: 84321, member: 27"]
They’re finally replacing oxen with tractors in every single village. Zimbabwe’s government is pushing small tractors and full business hubs into rural areas to force a farming overhaul. Each Village Business Unit gets a solar borehole, water tanks, irrigated gardens, fish ponds, and livestock infrastructure alongside the machinery.

Permanent Secretary Obert Jiri stated the hand hoe era is over, calling mechanisation a necessity for modernising agriculture. These smaller tractors are meant for community shared use, supporting timely land prep and higher productivity. The model aims to turn subsistence plots into market-oriented enterprises.

Masvingo province holds over half the national water resources, positioning it as a future food security hub through irrigation. Jiri emphasized converting that water into crop production, especially for traditional grains. The program links with existing climate-smart farming efforts to enable year-round output.

Value addition is critical, with plans to process wheat into flour and milk into cheese right on farms. Jiri also advised farmers to manage heavy rains by improving drainage and protecting livestock from flooded areas. The entire VBU strategy is framed as a foundation for grassroots job creation and economic resilience.
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