MWENEZI – The Rutenga Multi-Service Centre is fast becoming a model of how value addition can uplift rural communities, increase production, and create lasting livelihoods.
Set up by the Sustainable Agriculture Technology organisation, the centre has grown into a thriving economic hub in Mwenezi, processing paprika and sesame for both local consumption and export. Smallholder farmers, once vulnerable to unfair middlemen, now benefit from stable markets and fair pricing.
“Our lives have improved tremendously since we started producing sesame and paprika. From the income, we’ve managed to purchase homes, vehicles, and livestock,”
one farmer shared, reflecting the experiences of many beneficiaries.
According to Sustainable Agriculture Technology Country Director Mr. Brian Saunders, plans for global market expansion are underway.
“We are in the final stages of certification to export paprika worldwide. For sesame, we already supply Mozambique and South Africa, and are working on penetrating the Japanese market,” he said.
The project has received strong endorsement from the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr. Anxious Masuka, who lauded its role in providing structured markets, empowering youths, and strengthening the sesame industry.
Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Ezra Chadzamira, echoed the praise, highlighting that the initiative reflects President Mnangagwa’s vision of value addition and beneficiation to maximise returns for farmers.
As Zimbabwe marches toward Vision 2030, the Rutenga Multi-Service Centre shines as a symbol of progress, demonstrating how value addition can unlock rural potential and accelerate national economic development.
Edited by Godfrey Gusha
