GOKWE SOUTH – A Mabhande Village farmer, Melusi Musindo of Ward 14, has hailed Seed Co Zimbabwe for its continued support to farmers after winning a $26,000 tractor in the Seed Co National Crop Farming Competition.
Speaking after receiving the prize, Musindo said the tractor would not only benefit his family but also the wider Gokwe South community through improved tillage services and productivity.
“This tractor will assist many local farmers in ploughing and planting on time. I want to thank Seed Co for empowering rural farmers like us and for recognising our hard work,” said Musindo.
Seed Co Agronomist Modekai Chinembiri said the competition is part of the seed company’s ongoing efforts to promote excellence and innovation in crop farming across Zimbabwe.
“The national competition will continue in the 2025/26 farming season, and we encourage more farmers to participate,” said Chinembiri.
Farmers can enter the contest by purchasing at least 10 kilograms of Seed Co maize seed plus any other Seed Co seed, then sending their purchase receipt to a designated WhatsApp number and registering at their local AGRITEX office. Prizes include tractors, threshers, and other agricultural equipment aimed at boosting productivity.
Meanwhile, the 2025/26 summer agricultural season targets 394,800 hectares under crop production in Manicaland Province, with an expected yield of 492,150 metric tonnes, while nationally, the Government plans to plant 1.8 million hectares of maize and 500,000 hectares of traditional grains. The combined output target of 3.2 million tons is expected to sustain Zimbabwe’s food self-sufficiency.
The ongoing Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme has seen nearly 452,000 farmers prepare over 1.3 million plots, while plans are underway to provide smaller tractors to each of Zimbabwe’s 35,000 villages to enhance mechanization and irrigation.
These efforts, coupled with initiatives like the Seed Co competition, underline Zimbabwe’s commitment to building a modern, resilient agricultural sector capable of sustaining national food security amid changing climatic conditions.
