By Godwin Gumbo – Mangwe District

Mangwe District reaffirmed its position as a leader in communal agriculture with yet another successful edition of its annual Agricultural Show — a vibrant display of farming excellence, innovation, and resilience.

Held at Ingwizi growth point , this year’s show brought together communal farmers, seed companies, agribusiness players, government departments, and development partners in a celebration of both tradition and progress.

Mangwe has consistently hosted its district show — and this year, it broke new ground. From raised exhibit standards to well-coordinated stakeholder participation, the 2025 edition was widely hailed as the district’s most polished and impactful yet.

Officiating at the event was the Director for Agritex in Matabeleland South, Mrs. Shupikai Sibanda, who commended Mangwe for its consistency and growth.

“Mangwe continues to lead by example. The show here is not only consistent but improving in quality every year. You’ve set a high standard for the province,” she said.

“The vibrancy at this event is a clear sign of the agricultural success story of a food secure district. The government is continuously improving the Agricultural sector and focus is now hinged on value addition and beneficiation which resonates with the theme for today’s show.We must aim to be independent from our children in the diaspora in terms of food in our homes. Looking ahead, we want to host a more resounding Agric show edition and congratulations to the Mangwe ARDAS for hosting a remarkable show”.

The event recorded an impressive turnout, with over 184 exhibitors and close to 498 exhibits across categories such as drought-resilient crops, livestock, agro-processing, and handmade crafts.

Farmers from all corners of the district brought their best produce, livestock feed varieties, processed food products, and traditional crops like millet, cowpeas, and groundnuts. Many expressed pride in being part of a district that values and recognizes their hard work.

“Every year, the competition gets tougher — but that’s what pushes us to work harder,” said Mr. Moyo, a seasoned farmer from Brunapeg.

Top exhibitors walked away with farming tools, seed packs, fertilizer, and recognition plaques. The coveted Overall Best Farmer award went to Mrs. Sdudla Ndlovu of Ward, who received a 1000 liter tank, a rain gauge, a peanut butter processing machine, a hoe, a pick, and a variety of seed.

“A Farmer must be resilient — be wise enough to adapt to climate change through choosing drought tolerant crops. I’m a proud winner today because I take care of my crops from the fields all the way to the exhibition stalls but more importantly I represent women who farm with purpose,” said Sdudla after receiving her award.

Development partners, including World Food Program which works with farmers and extension officers under its PICSA program, was in attendance. Several booths offered information on human wildlife confilct management, bead craftwork, and SRHR awareness to young people.

With such strong coordination between local leadership, government, and civil society, the Mangwe District Agricultural Show continues to serve as a vital platform for farmers in terms of knowledge exchange and improved quality of crops as put by Mr Moffat Ncube the District Agricultural Extension Officer for Mangwe.

“This year, we received good quality crop exhibits — and this has been encouraged all the way from zonal shows up to today’s show,” said Mr Ncube. “Ultimately we are now steering our farmers to adopt a business approach to farming through improved production, productivity and profitability.

The event was also attended by local traditional leaders, The District Development Coordinator for Mangwe represented by L. Chibharo and the CEO for Mangwe Rural District Council, Mr B.Ngwenya and amongst other RDC members.