On the 14th of December 2020, Africa University celebrated the amazing staff of the institutions’ Dream Farm Trust, recognizing individual and collective excellence and service to the institution, its community and the region of Manicaland at the annual Farm Worker of the Year Awards.
Your support of the Africa University Fund apportionment supports the general operating expenses of Africa University including faculty and staff salaries and vital infrastructure.
Categorized as essential services, the university farm adapted its business model at the onset of the COVID- 19 Pandemic offering door to door deliveries to ensure that families in the community retained access to fresh and nutritious food and to also keep supermarkets in the City of Mutare well stocked with farm fresh produce.
2020 has been a challenging year in which the COVID-19 Pandemic presented itself as a threat to many industries but also offered opportunities for new ways of doing business, for innovation and for adaptation to the VUCA environment that pushed so many economic sectors to the brink. The Africa University Dream Farm was no different and has grown from the Pandemic stronger and more determined.
Vice Chancellor Professor Munashe Furusa said at the awards ceremony held on the Mutare Main Campus, “As we go forward, agriculture shall drive our economy. We are grateful for the work our employees are doing. It gives me great pleasure to share this day with you. A day where we honor men and women who are passionate and show deep commitment to their work. Mrs. Marsha Dorgan sponsors so many students at Africa University and she is also a key pillar and founding supporter of the Dream Dairy which is a subsidiary of the Dream Farm Trust.
We are immensely grateful for this undying support. We are also very grateful to Professor Abercrombie, Dr. Hope Abercrombie and the Kies Family that has carried the burden of raising resources and friends for this farm and university. We are truly blessed to have you. Friends of the farm continue to donate resources to the housing of staff and today we shall also commission the fourth such house built for this purpose.
In March, the future of the farm looked bleak due to the uncertainties brought about by the COVID-19 Pandemic. While the University teaching arm went virtual, our farm adapted and did the same by embracing E- Commerce and creating an online store. The Dream Farm products are currently being rebranded and are going online. In fact, ours may be the only farm in the Manicaland region that is now selling its products online.”
Looking forward to 2021 and beyond, the farm plans to set up Maize and Wheat milling plants and to commercialize some of its products in line with the university’s thrust for innovation and industrialization. The College of Agriculture Health and Natural Sciences has just received approval of the food processing program meaning we will be working closely with farmers in the region to begin processing foods. We have set ourselves the task of becoming a world-class university and evidence of this is seen in the quality of our staff and students.”
excerpt from a story by Jeanette Dadzie, Africa University
One of seven apportioned giving opportunities of The United Methodist Church, the Africa University Fund transforms Africa by educating and empowering students from across the continent through Africa University, the first fully accredited, United Methodist-related educational institution on the continent. The Africa University Fund supports the general operating expenses of Africa University including faculty and staff salaries and vital infrastructure. Please encourage your leaders and congregations to support the Africa University Fund at 100 percent.
