Save the Seed & Plant Water
 
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Monsanto, the huge North American multinational is entering the Zimbabwean agricultural sector at the back door. In Zimbabwe Monsanto is distributing hybrid maize varieties and chemicals, especially herbicides. With a rainy season (December 01) the North American multinational will start with trial plots of genetically modified cotton on the government land. Probation period would last for three years, sells manager Enoch Chikava said.

Monsanto produces the world’s biggest-selling non-selective glyphosate herbicide, Roundup. Promotion of its biotechnology products is a world wide business.
In Zimbabwe Monsanto is focused on developing seed business in small-scale farming sector as a future market where most of cotton and maize as an important cash crops are cultivated.

"The service you give not the quality of seeds is the most important think when selling seeds," selling manager for small-scale sector of Monsanto Zimbabwe Charles Songore said. He shown us a direct to consumer selling approach in Murombedzi and Bango villages. He meet 36 women under the tree on the village square and first talk with them offering all of them a soft drink. Each woman came to the appointment with Charles to buy 10 kilograms of hybrid maize seeds to plant half a hectare of land. They collected money since January, a cashier Marvelous said. Most of woman in the group was more than 50 years old, the oldest grandmother was 80. Maize as a staple food is a cash crop too. Women need extra money to afford school fees for children, more then half of them are looking after grandchild, orphans due to AIDS pandemic in Zimbabwe. During exchange of money and seeds women sung and danced happily.
 
Monsanto in Zimbabwe 4/15