A white man in Manchester, England had a frank discussion with an African immigrant about economic development and empowerment in Africa.
The English guy asked my fellow African: ‘Do you by any chance own land in Africa?’ The brother said yes he owns about 10 hectares in his rural village. “So, why come all the way to England when you have the means of production that can make you very rich?’
The African brother started giving excuses: the land is undeveloped; the land has no borehole; that he doesn’t have agricultural equipment to till the land; the government is not supporting rural farmers and many other excuses.
The Englishman stood there listening quietly. After 20 minutes of giving all sorts of excuses, my African brother looked up at the quiet Englishman, hoping he understood why he travelled thousands of kilometres to come to England to work in menial jobs!
The Englishman asked him “Can I exchange my fully paid flat and give you the title deeds and my two cars for your 10 hectares of land in Africa?” The African brother was stunned. He did not understand why a white man with a fully furnished flat and everything, would want to go and farm on a rural undeveloped land. The white guy sat him down and explained: ask any white man, he would gladly develop that land into a highly successful farm. He would grow high-value crops e.g. all types of vegetables, strawberries, start cattle fattening programmes and develop a highly successful farm. The Englishman told him all the wealth is in that piece of land. He can make millions of dollars from that fertile land.
The African brother spent days pondering about what his white friend said. After several months of planning and selling all he had in England, my brother came back home and started farming on his 10 hectares of land: putting up a borehole, installing solar energy, started poultry, piggery and cattle fattening and a horticulture project.
We should never under-value our rural farms and travel to go to work in distant lands. Our future is in developing our rural land and turn it into highly productive farms. Andile is a 25-year-old farmer in rural Pietermaritzburg, RSA. He developed his rural farm and grows all types of vegetables and keeps cattle. He teaches other rural farmers on how to effectively and efficiently use the land for maximum agricultural productivity.
We need to change our mindset about the land in our rural areas! It is our wealth!!!
MAD ZIMBABWE ENTREPRENEUR
Note: I received this article on my WhatsApp mobile as a forward. I do not write it. And I don’t know the original author/s. The article will teach you a lesson, and that is why I am sharing it. If you share, add this disclaimer.
