Wilderness and the SADC TFCA Financing Facility – a financing mechanism managed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – officially opened the Ngamo Livestock Farm & Vocational Centre in Zimbabwe on the 14th of February 2025. A first-of-its-kind in the Matebeleland North province, this pioneering initiative aims to educate Zimbabwe’s next generation of sustainable agricultural leaders, and has already welcomed its first 40 students.
The facility was officially inaugurated by the Honourable Dr Sithembiso Nyoni, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Environment, Climate & Wildlife, marking a significant milestone for surrounding communities in the Tsholotsho District. Implemented by Wilderness, through Children in the Wilderness (CITW) Zambezi, in partnership with the IUCN, the centre is located between the rural communities of Ngamo and Ziga, just outside Hwange National Park (which is part of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area – KAZA TFCA). As the crow flies, these communities are also close to the Wilderness Linkwasha Concession in the south-eastern corner of the park.
“The opening of this centre is a huge milestone for Wilderness and CITW, and fills us with immense pride. After years of planning, and thanks to the support of our partners at the IUCN, SADC TFCA Financing Facility, and local stakeholders, we are thrilled to have made good on our promise to the community to bring this facility to life”, noted Sue Goatley, Wilderness Zambezi Impact Manager.
The centre targets school-leavers aged 17-25, offering them a fully-funded one-year diploma programme which is HEXCO-certified and accredited by the Ministry of Education. The first 40 students have already started a rigorous curriculum under the inspiring mentorship of Senior Lecturer, Mr Lawrence Matshazi. This will empower them with the theoretical and practical farming skills necessary for employment in the agricultural sector, or to become business owners and job creators themselves. Those who are unable to secure formal employment will use the knowledge they’ve gained to improve subsistence farming in their communities, contributing to food security in a region that has been devastated by drought in recent years.
“This is not your ordinary working farm or training college; it is a beacon of hope for surrounding communities, which will protect livelihoods, foster resilience, and build brighter futures for the people of this area. True to Wilderness’ Impact strategy, it embodies our commitment to creating positive, lasting change within the communities where we operate”, continued Sue.
Based on a large one-sq. km plot, the centre offers students plenty of room for growth and innovation. Some of the facilities already up and running include boarding dormitories, a kitchen and dining room, lecture room, offices, staff and visitor accommodation, solar-powered boreholes, biogas systems (providing a sustainable source of fuel for the kitchen), milling shed, workshop, eco-garden and crop field (complete with drip irrigation), organic worm farm, cattle boma, livestock drinking troughs, fowl run, and a greenhouse. The centre is also very well equipped with farming equipment on site, including a tractor and tractor trailer, disc plough, motorbike, and grinding mill.
A state-of-the-art, solar-powered abattoir will be introduced in phase two, in the coming months. This will contribute to local economic development by giving community members a chance to earn an income by selling livestock at fair prices, and will also give them access to high-quality meat when needed. To ensure a viable market, Wilderness has committed to procuring vegetables, crops and beef from the farm to use in its nearby camps, with the hope that other tourism operators in Hwange National Park will follow suit, growing a local economy for nearby communities and for the farm itself.
“When you give a young person a skill, you are giving them a key to open opportunities in the future. Today we launch Ngamo Livestock Farm & Vocational Centre, which will empower our youths to venture into sustainable livestock management and crop production. This initiative is bringing the children back to their environment”, added Dr Nyoni.
Kudakwashe Chigodo, Team Leader at the SADC TFCA Financing Facility, acknowledged the grant funding for this initiative, provided by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ), through the KfW Development Bank. She believes its successful launch means big things for the broader region in the future.
“We are excited to be opening this centre, and we view it as a benchmark for the kind of work that we at the SADC TFCA Financing Facility wish to support, to improve livelihoods in communities not only in KAZA TFCA but across all TFCAs in the region. We have already drawn many lessons from this project, which we believe acts as a pilot for other communities who also need support from the Financing Facility”, she said.
By providing education, employment opportunities, and a sustainable model for agriculture, the centre is set to make a lasting impact on the region’s socio-economic landscape – a true beacon of hope and opportunity. This novel collaboration between Wilderness, CITW, the IUCN, local stakeholders, and BMZ, underscores the power of partnerships in driving much-needed, meaningful change.
“As we gather here today, let us reaffirm our commitment to conservation, community upliftment and sustainable development. Together, we have the power to create positive change and build a legacy of prosperity for all”, concluded Sue.
