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Date released
06 March 2025

Mrs Thandanani Dube, a determined farmer based in the Sibasa Cluster, is transforming her homestead into a sustainable, thriving ecosystem. The fifth-born in a family of 12, Mrs Dube passionately cultivates crops and raises livestock like her mother and father before her. However, with the help of ACIAR-funded projects, Mrs Dube is championing the optimisation of natural resource management. Her farm is thriving, and she is inspiring others in her community.

Water scarcity has long been a hurdle for farmers in the region. Erratic rainfall patterns are challenging, often leading to dried-up rivers and long treks to other water sources.

'My initial attempt to address challenges suffered a setback, as a borehole I had drilled at my homestead turned out to be a dry hole, forcing me to travel long distances in search of water. I was on the verge of giving up,’ said Mrs Dube.

The ACIAR projects came along just in time. Transforming smallholder irrigation into profitable and self-sustaining systems in southern Africa (TISA) was a partnership between ACIAR, the Australian National University (ANU) and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). It aimed to enhance sustainable, profitable smallholder irrigated agriculture across three southern African nations. The Circular food systems in Africa project tests how smallholder irrigation can drive resilience and economic growth by integrating livestock and dryland farming. It fosters climate-smart, circular food systems and empowers small, value-adding businesses in eastern and southern Africa.

A journey of innovation

As a member of the Silalatshani Irrigation Scheme, the TISA project introduced Mrs Dube to the chameleon water sensor which uses colour codes to help smallholder farmers determine the amount of water in the soil, the quantity required, and when to irrigate next to avoid water stress on plants. Another tool, known as Full Stop, can be used to observe how deep water has penetrated the soil after an irrigation event. It also helps monitor nutrients within the soil, helping prevent over-irrigation and leaching so crops don’t lose their nutrients.

Chameleon water sensor
Close-up of the chameleon water sensor readings at Mrs Dube's farm

This saves Mrs Dube time and allows her to focus on other tasks. With the transformation on her farm, Mrs Dube constructed a 5,000-litre tank to meet its growing needs.

‘With the knowledge I gained through our local irrigation scheme, I felt the need to have an enormous water reservoir to meet my growing needs. I sold three oxen to raise some funds. My son, who resides abroad, gave me a financial boost that made it possible to purchase a solar-powered pump that draws water from the Mzingwane River.’

This system and the newly built tank sustain her crops, livestock and family’s daily needs. Her 0.8-hectare farm is now an oasis of productivity and self-sufficiency, featuring livestock paddocks, fishponds, a broiler house for 500 chickens, and an array of vegetables.

Crib containing crop residues
Crib containing crop residues for supplementary livestock feed in the dry season
Healthy kale
Healthy kale on Mrs Dube's farm
Fish pond whose nutrient rich water irrigates the farm
Fish pond whose nutrient rich water irrigates the farm
Woman holding tomatoes
Mrs Dube with her tomato crops

A circular system: an integrated approach to food and income

Livestock management

Mrs Dube’s farm is a model of circular economy. Everything on the farm supports each other; nothing is thrown away. For her cows and goats, she uses maize stalks and treated stover as feed. The projects also introduced Mrs Dube to new techniques for maintaining healthy livestock.

‘I learnt how to make nutritious blocks for my livestock, which has come in handy in dry seasons.’

The 100-kilogram block serves her livestock, cows, goats, and chickens, for several days, allowing her to cut costs and reduce waste. 

‘The droppings from my guinea fowls come in handy too, as I dry them and feed them to my cattle, and the excess serves as manure for my vegetables. I do most of the feed on my farm at zero cost. I also learned how to collect tree leaves and acacia pods from the bushes and convert them into a nutritious meal.’

Vegetable farming

The circular approach extends to Mrs Dube’s vegetable farming, specifically cabbage, tomatoes, onions, butternut, cucumber, green mealies, and carrots. In addition to the conservation tools, Mrs Dube utilises her livestock waste as manure for her crops. 

I no longer waste money buying fertiliser. Through the project, I learnt of organic farming methods, including crop rotation and integrating organic compost and aquaculture water to enrich my crops.

‘This way, my vegetables acquire the essential nutrients, and there’s a significant difference in the outcome. My harvest is the purchase point of choice for my community. That becomes an additional income source I use to procure fish feed. The project also showed me how to make my thermal compost using locally available materials that can cover my entire farm, reducing the cost incurred previously when buying fertiliser.’

Aquaculture

Mrs Dube’s fishpond, stocked with tilapia and bream, not only adds diversity to her farming but also provides an extra income stream. Mrs Dube has 5,000 fingerlings, which is no mean feat!

‘I farm the two species as they are freshwater fish and can survive in harsh conditions. They are also in high demand as a commercial preferred fish.’

Mrs Dube grows sweet potatoes around the pond's ridges to keep the boundaries firm. 

‘Aquaculture has given me a reliable source of income. The pond water, enriched with nutrients, is ideal for irrigating my crops, and this nutrient cycle keeps everything in balance.’

 

Empowering farmers and building community

Mrs Dube is also a mentor to other farmers in her community. Through the ACIAR projects, she has gained invaluable skills in water management, crop nutrition, and composting, enabling her to turn her farm into a sustainable powerhouse. Mrs Dube continues to motivate youth in her community to explore farming as a viable and sustainable livelihood. She shares her knowledge and sustainable farming practices through workshops and hands-on demonstrations. Farmers in her community have started implementing similar techniques.

I am proud to teach other farmers to make their livestock feed and compost. Many now understand the power of wisely using everything on their farms.

Looking forward: a vision for expansion and innovation

Mrs Dube plans to acquire more land from the local traditional leaders, grow large portions of different crops, and add more livestock. She is also keen on maggot farming for additional waste conversion and generating biogas energy to power farm operations. Her long-term goal is an entirely self-sufficient farm that incurs no external costs, powered by an integrated system where each aspect of the farm supports another.

Circular approach to vegetable farming
The circular approach extends to Mrs Dube’s vegetable farming.

‘Farming has taught me resilience; now I’m dreaming even bigger. I will soon construct a fowl run to accommodate 500 broilers and have expanded the fruit tree orchard I am setting up.’

Through her journey with the ACIAR projects, Mrs Dube shows how one person’s dedication, local resources, and innovative techniques can inspire a community, feed a village, and build resilience against climate challenges. 

ACIAR’s Circular food systems in Africa project synthesises lessons from leaders like Ms Dube on how to grow more nutritious food to feed a growing world population with limited land and water resources.

Note: While Mrs Dube was fortunate enough to have the option of monetary support from her overseas-based son to install the solar pump and piping system—a decision that immensely improved her farm's water issues—such aid is not necessarily always readily available in many rural households. Across Zimbabwe, remittances from irrigation schemes are instrumental in helping smallholder farmers effect pivotal changes, and act as a lifeline, allowing farmers to undertake sustainable interventions and obtain resilience from climatic shocks.

Learn more via the ACIAR website.