Harare — ON a typical October day, the searing heat of the low-lying area of Mbire District, Mashonaland Central, punctuated by gusts of dry, dusty winds give the visitor a less than warm reception.

The trees, bare, scraggy and mainly thorny products of nature, do not effect any comfort either, as they cannot offer much shelter from the searing heat that has of late tended to climb to around 40 degrees Celsius.

The coming rainy season might be something to look forward to in other areas, but it will possibly confirm a familiar script of a historical continuum of droughts which has meant that the people of this area are perennial candidates for food handouts by Government and humanitarian organisations.

Even the so-called "white gold", cotton, which may flourish in such dry areas, has failed to break the jinx, with the crop routinely failing to matter, sometimes landing the farmers into debt from cotton companies.

Last year, when the economy fared badly and there was shortage of seed and chemicals, some farmers tended cotton that sprouted from the previous year's crop and this was called the "re-runs", an euphemism after the June Presidential election re-run.

This predictably failed, but most disheartening is the fact that right now there are still dry cotton stalks in the fields, which must have been destroyed by mid-September -- suggesting that some farmers are mulling some "reruns".

The people themselves seem to understand the sad truth that it might take a little longer for them to achieve food security at household level, let alone drive even the most run down jalopy on the craggy roads as a result of one's sweat.

Yet somewhere hope is awakening, and some of the people are seeing some kind of a "brave new world".

In 2007, a Non-Governmental Organisation, Practical Action, in its Vulnerability Reduction initiative provided 1 077 households in seven wards -- Wards 6,7, 8,9,14, 15 and 17 -- with agricultural inputs.

The organisation, in conjunction with the local authority, Lower Guruve Development Association has been encouraging locals to venture into sustainable initiatives such as growing drought resistant crops and livestock production as an alternative to growing cotton that has not made any difference.

The programme, dubbed "Improving livestock's health and product value of resource poor households in Lower Guruve District" will run until the end of 2009.

Farmers are provided seed for crops like sorghum, cowpeas and guar beans. After harvesting, the dry stalks are kept for supplementary feeding of livestock during the dry season.

The LGDA says the programme has been a phenomenal success and has breathed a sense of hope in the area that had literally been known for begging.

The authority provides education and extension services to the villagers, imparting knowledge on how to grow and harvest the crops as well as keeping and adding value to the supplementary feeding schemes.

"The programme has been a huge success," says James Machingura, the Livestock Production Officer.

"We have provided support for the farmers through extension services and the community has responded well and there is a high level of co-operation between us and the farmers some of whom we have taught extension work so that they can educate fellow villagers."

The extension work covers methods of farming, and disease detection, control and treatment in livestock.

Farmers are also taught how to construct animal pens, food racks, and methods to treat supplementary feeds with coarse salt and ammonium nitrate fertiliser.

"As a result, we are definitely moving towards food security and prosperity," says Machingura

"The quality of our cattle has improved significantly and the cattle now fetch higher prices on the market.

"Milk production has also improved greatly for families and stronger animals have meant greater draught power, which has also benefited those who do not have their own cattle," he said.

Mr and Mrs Mutoni of Ward 7 are one family that has also experienced the boon, and they are winners, too!

They were recently voted the best farmers and a field day, which attracted villagers from the seven wards, the local authority and the local Member of the House of Assembly, was held at their homestead.

Although they only have six beasts, four goats and twenty-eight chickens to their name, they represent a model family on the threshold of prosperity.

LGDA-appointed adjudicators commended the family for constructing the best animal pens, the best chicken coup and for the healthiest looking animals.

The judges looked at the amount of fodder with respect to the number of beasts, water supply, and availability of a feeding bank, an inspection rack and a drug stand.

The winners got top marks in these categories.

Their cattle, for example, now have an average weight of 750 kilogrammes, since August when they weighed an average of 700 kilogrammes.

Far from being the winner of the ultimate prize of an ox-drawn plough, a knapsack sprayer, and a complement of livestock chemicals forming part of the carrot organisers dangled, Matanda Mutoni is clearly a happy man.

"When the programme started in 2007, I thought I knew how to keep my livestock, but as I look back I feel as though I knew nothing at all. Now I understand my animals and they understand me too," he said.

He says that the quality of his livestock will fetch him the kind of money he could possibly not get out of the cotton field.

A kilogramme of beef sells an average of $3 on the market, and it is hoped that livestock production being relatively cheaper, and demanding less labour might help boost food security in the area as well as generate the much needed income.

Tsetse fly, a nagging problem in these hot, low lying areas is under control. Mbire legislator, Paul Mazikana said that Government was fully in support of the eradication of tsetse in the area.

"We have been in the process of putting up what are known as 'targets', which attract the flies and right now there is little danger to animals," he told The Herald.

Mazikana also said Government was in support of the programme, and would soon provide suitable bulls requested by the farmers.

He promised that more dipping facilities and construction of water points -- a necessity in this dry part of the country were on their way.

The programme might be ending at the close of the year, but it has sown seeds of self-sufficiency and hope where there was little.

Practical Action Programme Team Leader, Absolom Masendeke said that his organisation was impressed with the co-operation among stakeholders and the determination of local drivers of the programme.

He applauded the people's buy-in into the project and the determination of extension workers, as these would ensure success of the future sustainable development.

"If people have knowledge they can prosper," said Masendeke.