Mthandazo Nyoni, the Alpha Media Holdings reporter who was in a class of his own and scooped 6 awards including the Overall Agriculture Sector Best Reporter Award at the 2020 edition of the Zimbabwe Agriculture Media Awards held last week on Friday has commended ZAS, the organisers of the awards and vowed to continue writing more agriculture stories.
Speaking to Great Dyke News24, Nyoni urged his colleagues in the media fraternity to write more on a sector which is the anchor of the economy.
“Thank you so much (ZAS) for giving me this opportunity.
I’m very happy for winning the ZAMA Awards. The awards have really encouraged me. They have given me strength; they have galvanised me to continue writing more stories about agriculture.
“l would like to encourage my colleagues in the media industry to continue writing more stories or to continue reporting on agriculture, the mainstay of our economy,” he said.
Nyoni was also a big winner last year, scooping three awards including the Overall Agriculture Sector Best Reporter award at the inaugural Zimbabwe Agriculture Media awards held in Harare.
This year the reporter scooped the Cotton Sector Best Reporter Award, Oilseeds Sector Best Reporter Award, Small Grains Sector Best Reporter Award, Beef Sector Best Reporter Award, and Poultry Sector Best Reporter Award on his way to claiming the Overall Agriculture Sector Best Reporter Award.
Mercy Bofu of ZBC won the Horticulture Best Reporter Award and the Sugarcane Best Reporter Award while Muchaneta Chimuka of Zimpapers was another double winner, bagging the Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change Best Reporter Award and the Agricultural Equipment, Mechanisation, Irrigation, Storage and Innovation Best Reporter Award.
Fidelity Mhlanga of Alpha Media Holdings.
Also won two awards, the Wheat and Cereals Sector and the Tobacco Sector Best Reporter Awards.
Other winners include ZTN’s Leeroy Dzenga who won the Agriculture, Finance, and Development Best Reporter Award, Stanford Chiwanga of Zimpapers who scooped the Small Ruminants Sector Best Reporter Award and Dumisani Nsingo also of Zimpapers who clinched the Dairy Sector Best Reporter award.
This year’s awards were held virtually to protect and safeguard journalists, sponsors, and other stakeholders from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, and Rural Resettlement Dr. Anxious Masuka was the Guest of Honour while the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Mr. Nick Mangwana was the Guest Speaker.