This is my Story of how I turned my Rural Homestead in Chivhu into a Commercial Agri Business

How it all Began...

I’m Esther Marwa, and this is the story of how my home in Lancashire Nharira, Chivhu transformed into Esther’s Milk & Honey Farm.

It all began back in 2019, with just five in-calf heifers and a big dream. Today, I proudly care for 38 dairy cows, from heifers to calves, all thanks to the invaluable lessons I’ve learned along the way.

The journey hasn’t been easy, but it’s been incredibly rewarding. It all started with attending those amazing workshops and training sessions, you know, the ones where you learn about business ideas, the whole agriculture value chain, and how to run a farm in a way that’s good for the environment. They even taught us how to pitch our ideas and write business plans!

I’ve grown so much, and our farm has too. We’ve invested in two tractors and a maize stalk grinding machine to make our own nutritious feed for the cows. We’ve also started growing our own fodder and lucerne grass, and we’ve even built proper milking stations and storage rooms. And let’s not forget the milking machines – those were a game-changer!

But it’s not just about the cows. We’ve ventured into beekeeping, too, and the honey we produce is absolutely delicious! And to top it all off, we’ve even started packaging our own milk and honey products.

It’s been a whirlwind, but seeing everything come together has been so fulfilling. Along the way, I’ve been fortunate enough to receive recognition for our efforts.

In 2021, I was named the Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers’ Small Scale Farmer of the Year Overall Winner, and in 2019, I received the Mash B Region Woman in Dairy Award. It’s been an honour to participate in international events and share our story with the world.

But more importantly, our farm is about giving back. We donate milk to a local school to help fight malnutrition and we also provide sanitary wear to young girls in our community. It’s a small way for us to make a difference and create a brighter future for the next generation.

"When milk gets bad, it becomes yoghurt. Yoghurt is more valuable than milk. If it gets even worse, it turns to cheese. Cheese is more valuable than both yoghurt and milk. For all our hurdles and triumphs we take it all in stride."

World Milk Day

To celebrate World Milk Day and give back to our community, Esther’s Milk & Honey Farm proudly donated fresh milk to a local school. As a child, I benefited from a similar program, and I believe every child deserves access to nutritious food. By providing milk, we aim to contribute to the health and well-being of these young students, while also reviving the forgotten tradition of school milk programs in Zimbabwe. It’s a small gesture, but we hope it makes a big difference in their lives.

Addressing Period Poverty

We believe in empowering the young women in our community. That’s why, alongside our milk donation, we also provided sanitary pads to the young girls at a school close to our farm. Period poverty is a real issue in rural areas, and we want to ensure that these girls have access to the resources they need to stay in school and pursue their dreams. By addressing this often-overlooked need, we hope to make a positive impact on their lives and futures.

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