(for more information contact ftagwira@africau.ac.zw)

Prof. Fanuel Tagwira has initiated a research program on grain amaranth at Africa University, Mutare, Zimbabwe. Prof and Mrs Tagwira started growing amaranth at their home for the last three years. After seeing the potential of grain amaranth as a crop and as a food during this period they decided to train a small group of farmers from the Nyamajura Area on how to grow and process grain amaranth. They teamed up with three extension officers from AREX (Mr Ndoro, Mr Nyakupanda and Mrs Madzingira) and trained a group of 15 farmers. The trained farmers are excited about the crop and intent to grow a bigger area next year. At a recent field day, farmers, extension officers and members of the public were taken round to meet some of the farmers who have grown the crop successfully.

Amaranth crop in the field in Odzi

AREX officer speaking at a grain amaranth field day

Out of this initiative is being borne a major research project at Africa University that will see grain amaranth being mainstreamed into Zimbabwean diets and also being used extensively in the Agriculture sector in Zimbabwe. The major focus of the research will include; a) determining the best agronomic requirements for grain amaranth; b) breeding suitable varieties for the region and c) research into process and mainstreaming of amaranth into Africa diets.

For a detailed research please Click Here.