Exeter University Graduate Secures £270K Funding For Regenerative Agriculture Project In Zimbabwe

A recent graduate from the University of Exeter, Hugo Winkfield, has secured over £270,000 in funding for a regenerative agriculture project in Africa. Hugo took up a work placement in Zimbabwe’s Mount Darwin district, where he is transforming part of the Agriculture Research Trust’s farm into a training centre and working with smallholder farmers to implement sustainable farming practices, according to South West Farmer.

The funding, provided by Oak Foundation, will support Hugo’s research on the benefits of regenerative agriculture and its potential influence on national policy in Zimbabwe. Said the 23-year-old:

I knew nothing about farming before I started the placement – I hardly knew what a plough did.

I really committed myself and I learned a huge amount about how to farm arable crops, from the top farmers and researchers in Zimbabwe. I learned that you must aim for as much as you possibly can, given even the smallest opportunity or responsibility and it usually pays off.

Sometimes, feeling underqualified for what you are doing is normal, and likely means you are pushing yourself to achieve more than you thought you ever could.

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My degree gave me the skills to think in a rigorous scientific manner and apply the broad theory I had learned to the specific application of farming. My ecological understanding allowed me to design the cropping systems trials in a way which was beneficial for not just the local area, but on a global scale, too.

[Zimbabwe] is an amazing country. You do have to adjust to some things – the traffic lights don’t always work, there are power cuts, potholes and occasional food shortages. But the people here are so kind, friendly, jolly, and they savour the simple things in life. The country has beautiful landscapes and is teeming with wildlife, has a rich culture, and (unofficially) the best weather in the world.

Hugo’s research is funded by the Agricultural Partnership Trust (APT) which is in collaboration with the Agriculture Research Trust (ART).

Zimbabwe has fertile land that is suitable for various agricultural activities. The soils in Zimbabwe are rich in nutrients, making them ideal for growing crops and raising livestock. Additionally, Zimbabwe has a favourable climate with adequate rainfall in many regions, which supports agricultural productivity. The country also has a long farming history and a skilled workforce in the agricultural sector. 

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