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  3. “The Producers like all the seeds that I sell, therefore, I sell improved and quality seeds ” story by Mrs. Rumbidzai Ngonhama, the first VBA in Machipanda Administrative Post , Manica district

“The Producers like all the seeds that I sell, therefore, I sell improved and quality seeds ” story by Mrs. Rumbidzai Ngonhama, the first VBA in Machipanda Administrative Post , Manica district

Mozambique
29.10.2020
“The Producers like all the seeds that I sell, therefore, I sell improved and quality seeds ” story by Mrs. Rumbidzai Ngonhama, the first VBA (village Based Agent) in Machipanda Administrative Post , Manica district - a work done in partnership with the Kwaedza Simukai Manica Association (AKSM) with aim of facilitating improved seeds to smallholder producers associations. The Kwaedza Simukai Manica Association (AKSM) is one of the five Implementing Organisations from FAR Programme.

Mrs. Rumbidzai Ngonhama is the mother of 4 children and her main activity is agriculture. For this activity she works together with her husband, in the production of onion and garlic in Machipanda Administrative Post. In parallel to her work in the field, Mrs. Rumbidzai has been selling seeds since 2009 and, she had the dream of becoming an agricultural entrepreneur, that's why in 2014 she joined the Pvungua Zanakana Association and thanks to the intervention of the AKSM Association she saw her dream come true, now Mrs Rumbidzai independently runs her shop selling seeds and fertilizers.

In 2018, Mrs. Rumbidzai joined the group of VBA in the Manica district and, having become the first facilitator and seller of improved seeds in her community through the facilitation of the FAR program, the AKSM  Association. In 2018, the association facilitated a kit containing manure, fertilizers and pesticides, as well as quality seeds, certified in order to boost the business - and these few products have multiplied.

“In this community, I am the only woman who does the business of selling improved seeds and most of the products you are seeing here are sweat from my investment. And thanks to God, now I have many customers because every seed that I sell, the producers like it, therefore I sell improved and quality seeds”.

Mrs. Rumbidzai's achievement is to see the increase in production of her clients, most of them smallholder farmers in her community, for this she relies on the knowledge she acquired in a VBA’s training facilitated by the AKSM.

To expand her business as a VBA Mrs. Rumbidzai relies on the facilitators in the communities surrounding her community and they have monthly meetings where they provides information related to good agricultural practices, the use of fertilizers, advantages of using improved seeds, pest management and post-harvest.

“I have facilitators who take seeds from my store to sell in other communities like Mugoriondo, chifacho, Munene, and Mundonguari, and as VBA I have scheduled days to work with producers in these communities, so they minimize the time and cost of transportation looking for seed in Manica district and in Chimoio City ”.

In these two years, Mrs. Rumbidzai managed to reach around 500 small producers with her products, of which 200 are women and 300 are men.Mrs.

Rumbidzai's entrepreneurial spirit comes to life when she looks to the future. She is making plans to reach more communities and become one of the most successful market facilitators in the Manica district.

In addition, it is encouraging farmers to use certified seeds of high quality by giving them free training on agricultural practices using improved seeds.

The Kwaedza Simukai Manica Association (AKSM) is one of the five Implementing Organisations which have been contracted by Swisscontact; the Managing Organisation, to implement the FAR Programme. FAR is Swedish Embassy funded programme that is currently implemented in Manica and Sofala Provinces.