Smart Agriculture creates employment opportunities for Bulawayo residents
Thembelihle Nyathi is a farmer who aims to build healthier communities, create livelihoods and demonstrating how environmental responsibility can become a practical pathway to development.
She is the co-founder of Eden Fresco, a family-run agribusiness in Northville, Bulawayo, and her journey into farming was shaped by her grandparents, whose resilience, respect for the land and commitment to hard work left a lasting impression on her.
In a conversation with The List Awards by Identities Media, Nyathi, a semi-finalist in The List Awards 2026 under the Climate and Environmental Impact Award category, shared how she contributes to environmental conservation and climate change mitigation. This is reflected through Eden Fresco, where she has helped transform 3.5 hectares into a climate-smart family farm producing healthy and affordable food for local households.
” The farm has created seven permanent jobs and supports an average of 12 casual workers”,she said.
With their tangible and self-led actions, one of Eden Fresco’s most distinctive contributions is its approach to agricultural waste.
The farm purchases cattle and chicken manure from local communities and small-scale farmers, transforming what might otherwise be discarded into a source of income. For some families, that income contributes towards household needs and school fees, while the collection and loading of manure creates additional work.
” The farm also provides seven women vendors with vegetables on credit, helping them participate in local food markets while strengthening household incomes”,she added.
The farm recycles more than 12 tonnes of cotton hulls and wheat straw each year, turning agricultural by-products into productive value. In doing so, Nyathi says Eden Fresco is helping build a community circular-economy in which waste becomes an opportunity rather than a burden.
The List Awards place emphasis on merit, Impact and integrity. For Nyathi, their contribution to society is valuable and her vision is to expand sustainable and organic production, train more women and young people in climate-smart agriculture, create green jobs and ensure more families can access healthy food.