The ManicaPost
Blessing Rwizi Post Correspondent
BAMBOO-GROWING project has changed things for the better in Mutasa District where a group of more than 25 farmers is producing furniture and different implements for sale from the plant.
The project’s rich pickings has left a number of villagers in Chikomba Ward One of Honde Valley keen to join Dowera Development Association which started the project four years ago.
The association consisting of both males and females is a community-based organisation aimed at improving the general livelihood of communities in.
Its establishment was a brainchild of a local visionary leader, Mr Luke Chingoza, who after receiving training in beekeeping and natural resources management from Zimbabwe Farmers Development Trust (ZFDT) got inspired to improve the environment and livelihoods of fellow communities.
However, DDA ventured into beekeeping and charcoal production besides producing furniture, baskets and other implements from bamboos.
Ward One councillor and DDA member, Councillor Christopher Sadondo, said they had finished preparations of the land to grow more bamboos as they were helpful in changing livelihoods around the community over the past years.
“Bamboos take between four and five years to harvest and we have harvested once since we started the project in 2013. Now we have finished preparing and extending land to grow more bamboos.
“As an association, members have had different uses of the bamboos and these include baskets, furniture, ladders, charcoal production, house construction as well as apiculture. Baskets have very good markets locally and abroad, thereby changing lives in our communities. This has made a lot of people in Dondo, Mapureti and Sagambe villages keen to venture into the same project,” said Cllr Sadondo.
Bamboos are woody grasses which are grown chiefly in the tropics. They are common in Honde Valley since it is popular for its rich plains and forest with indigenous and fruit trees like mangoes, guavas, bananas and avocados. In many places, bamboo plant’s hollow jointed stem is used as wood, for house construction, scaffolding, furniture, utensils, fibre, paper, food, ladders, fencing, containers, tool handles, pipes, toys, musical instruments, handicrafts, fuel and innumerable small articles of everyday use
