The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Correspondent
A Mutare agricultural engineer and his colleagues are transforming urban agriculture by supplying urbanites with mobile backyard greenhouses.
The portable backyard greenhouses are suitable for urbanites, some of whom are tenants. This has seen most urbanites in Mutare, Penhalonga, Rusape and Chipinge taking up city farming.
Engineer Noel Chabuka (29) is implementing the project together with Engineer Tinashe Sithole, Mr Shingirai Murerwa, Mr Shingirai Mushonga and Mr Stewart Mutamangira.
Eng Chabuka said the greenhouses are cost effective as they do not require any electricity.
Less water is consumed to produce better quality farming products.
“No soil is used and minimal equipment is needed to set up the greenhouse and sustain it.
“Plants are only watered when they are planted and no electricity is required.
“One can grow herbs, fruits or vegetables in the greenhouse,” said Eng Chabuka.
“Usually it takes three weeks for the plants to mature for harvesting,” he said.
Eng Chabuka said the greenhouses are also ideal for florists.
“We are implementing farming technologies to enable farmers to conduct easy and cost effective farming, while getting the best results at the same time,” he said.
The mobile greenhouses which have become a household name in Mutare and surrounding towns do not require any irrigation pipes.
The greenhouses use the kratky hydroponic method which does not require any electricity, pumps, bubblers, wicks, or timers.
“The major thing we use insetting up the greenhouses are bolts and nuts.
“This makes it ideal for people renting pieces of land. When they leave, they just dismantle it and re-erect it at their next place of residence.
“The greenhouse is therefore ideal for city dwellers. Farmers do not waste money buying farm produce from supermarkets as they produce their own crops in their backyards. One can also turn this into a business,” said Eng Chabuka.
He said according to research, greenhouse products have better quality.
“The quality is always better. Fruits like strawberries can be kept on the plant to maintain their taste. You can always harvest when you need some instead of killing the nutrients by refrigerating it.
