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Langalakhe Mabena
The Lupane Veggie Guys, an enterprise by Makhosi Mahlangu, Mgciniwethu Mazula and Mzingaye Tshabalala, has collaborated with the Lupane Chilli Community comprising 100 women, as a way of meeting demand on the market for their chilli products.
The Chilli Community is from the Lupane district (Matabeleland North), and its ultimate aim is to help in the production of organic chilli sauces and associated condiments for both the local and export markets, through providing natural chilli to the Lupane Veggie Guys.
The chilli is grown by the women for additional income and then sold to the Lupane Veggie Guys at premium market prices. By doing so, the women get money from the sale of chilli and also from 10 percent dividends from the Lupane Veggie Guys. Why collaborate with women from Lupane?
The project looked deeply into the weather conditions in Lupane which are conducive for chilli production and processing.
Besides that, local traditional leaders also agreed that the project would bring much-needed change to the district, as the produce (chilli) is distributed to European markets and the Middle East.
Makhosi Mahlangu who is a chef, farmer and a lecturer at Lupane State University, said collaborating with the Lupane Chilli community has become fruitful as the women provide them with 30kgs of chilli a week.
“When we thought of making our chilli products mainly the Lupane Veggie Guys chilli sauce Original Flavour, Ndiya Ndiya, Sweet Chilli and the Harissa, we looked at the chilli chain and poverty levels around Lupane.
“We also saw that women were doing a lot to improve their lives. We talked to MaNyathi from the Women’s Centre about our proposal. She loved the idea and immediately she had volunteers for the project.
“Interestingly MaNyathi and the women now supply us with no less than 30kgs of chilli per week,” said Mahlangu.
The women recently had a boost from SeedCo.
“Last week all the 100 women received their chilli seeds from SeedCo. In the next 70 days, we expect no less than two tonnes of chilli per week, as we are already preparing for the huge chilli output.
“We are also engaging various supermarkets, and sending our product to Government labs to ensure our product is safe. We are definitely following the iterations from our President ED Mnangagwa that
“No place will be left behind and that specific areas are built by their custodians,” said Mahlangu.
Hildegard Nyathi (MaNyathi) who is a representative of the Lupane Chilli Community women said the initiative created massive employment in the community and it had attracted income that will sustain their lives.
“This project has proven that women play important roles in the functioning of a healthy and food secure household. As Lupane women and farmers, we are happy to be producing chilli for these guys.
“There are currently 100 women involved in the initial phase of the project and this has provided employment in our community as many families are fed through the project’s income.
“Apart from farming chilli, we were taught to plant different herbs and spices which will help widen our specialisation in farming. These herbs and spices are used in the production of various condiments and sauces.
We are happy to be contributing our products to the food market in the country and beyond,” said MaNyathi.
The Lupane community leadership also endorses the project. Chief Menyezwa, Meluleki Gumede, said:
“The high levels of poverty in my communities need to be solved immediately. As a traditional chief, I need to be surrounded by a food secure community.
“The need to use local resources to empower our people is in line with the Government initiatives to alleviate poverty in our communities.
We are aiming for a middle-class economy by 2030 and the chilli value chain could be a solution to our problems. We are grateful to the various stakeholders who will be involved in this groundbreaking initiative.”
Siphakeme .Mnindwa
mbulelo smpofu
