Improved Crop Yield – Ranganai’s Story

“My produce was never up to standard. I could never get the same price for my crops as other farmers, and sometimes nobody would buy my produce.” 

Ranganai is a farmer in Zimbabwe. She was widowed in 2004 and at one point, Ranganai was raising and caring for nine children: one of her own, seven from late siblings, and one child from her brother who was not doing well. 

“It was difficult raising children of a similar age, because all their school fees and related expenses came at the same time,” says Ranganai. “My income was unreliable, but the expenses were constant.” 

Ranganai took her produce to the market 2-3 times per week to try to earn enough money to cover household expenses. But her produce was undersized, and she struggled to control pests. 

When ADRA started working in her community, Ranganai was eager to participate. Through the ENGAGE Project, which is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP), Ranganai received farmer training, seeds for new crops and was taught to safely utilise fertilisers. Additionally, ADRA’s marketing training taught her how to coordinate her crop production, so she always has produce ready to take to the market.

“I have added green peppers, peas, and beetroot to my crop rotation thanks to the seeds I received from ADRA,” she says. “They fetch a good price at the market.” 

By applying everything she learned from ADRA, Ranganai always has quality produce she can take to the market. Unlike before, she sells all her produce, and all at a competitive price. 

“This has made a big change in my life,” Ranganai says. “Now, I can make four times what I was able to earn before.” 

Prior to her participation in the project, her family would have an average of two meals a day. Now, they consistently have three meals a day. Thanks to the diversity of crops she is growing, Ranganai’s family enjoys a varied diet, which is improving their nutrition. 

Now, Ranganai has become a leader not just for her local community but for her whole district. After the initial training with ADRA, Ranganai was elected by her community to become the chair of her farming group. She then represented her farming group at a district level where she was elected to be the district chair. 

With the knowledge she has gained, Ranganai is looking to further increase her crop production. 

“I’m happy with what I’m doing, but I haven’t yet reached my potential,” she says. “My income has increased, but not enough to send all my children to university. And I want all my children to go to university.” 

The ENGAGE project in Zimbabwe is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).