Market Development News Flash – April 2020 [pdf]
Sondelani Ranching (Hamara Foods) is a Bulawayo based agribusiness unit that is into food processing, broiler, layers and horticulture production and contracting. The company has been working with Small Holder Farmers for the past 16 years mainly in Matabeleland. Over the years their business model evolved to cover Matebeleland, Manicaland, Mashonaland and the Midlands provinces. Sondelani Ranching has established 14 business hubs in these provinces which work directly with small holder farmers. Partnership and collaboration with LFSP commenced in 2016 focusing on contracting of smallholder farmers to produce horticulture crops such as tomatoes, onions and potatoes amongst others and table eggs. Sondelani is now pursuing broiler contracting in Mashonaland Central working with the ENTERPRIZE cluster. The company provides production training through its team of extension officers and has linkages with various supermarkets in Zimbabwe where they supply processed products and direct produce from the farmers.
Over the past two weeks – Sondelani commenced the distribution of broiler chicks to contracted smallholder farmers in Mashonaland Central particularly Bindura district. A total of 30 farmers – including youth entrepreneurs – have been selected for contract farming by the company after meeting set guidelines for required poultry housing including installation of flume pipes. The contracted farmers are required to observe guidelines for disease prevention, control and management. To date a total of 4,000 chicks have been delivered to the contracted farmers in Bindura and a further 5 000 are expected to be delivered before the end of this month (April).
Sondelani has been able to secure clearance to continue its operations during the lockdown period, as an essential agricultural service provider. This has enabled the timely implementation of partnership activities agreed between the company and LFSP MD.
Under the defined partnership –Sondelani will provide contracted farmers with chicks, feed and all required veterinary drugs.
A total of 30 members of Kubatakwashe Poultry Association are expected to benefit under this deal. Each farmer will be provided with 1,000 broiler chicks and related inputs (feed and veterinary drugs).
Extension support will also be provided by the Sondelani resident Field Officer working in close partnership with the local Agritex Officer and Field Facilitators from the LFSP MD teams. This models works well under the #StayAtHome Covid- 19 preventive measure as it is a home based model requiring family labour to tender the broilers to maturity.
The Livelihoods and Food Security Programme – Market Development component is implemented by Palladium in partnership with the Agricultural Partnership Trust and GRM Zimbabwe
Please contact: Roselinie Murota on Roselinie.Murota@thepalladiumgroup.com
