Young Zimbabwean Girl’s Rabbit Project Earns National Farming Honour
At just 13 years old, Zimbabwean youth farmer Tarylyn Chipo Bote has captured national attention by winning the youth category at the prestigious Combined Women and Youth Excellence Awards in November 2025. Her successful rabbit-rearing project, inspired and nurtured under the tutelage of her father, represents the transformative potential of youth engagement in agriculture.
The awards ceremony was presided over by Zimbabwe’s First Lady, Auxillia Mnangagwa, highlighting the growing recognition of youth contributions to national food security and rural development. Tarylyn’s journey began three years ago with a modest investment of three rabbits on her family property in Manyame Park, Chitungwiza near Harare.
Observing her father’s rabbit farming enterprise, she embraced the venture, recognising the species’ rapid reproduction and ease of management compared to more traditional livestock like chickens. From her initial stock and through careful breeding and management, Tarylyn’s flock has grown to 56 rabbits. She has also judiciously sold some rabbits, generating income that covers her school stationery expenses, a source of personal pride and financial independence.
Balancing education with farming responsibilities, Tarylyn receives morning feeding support from her father, Tawanda Bote, while she takes charge of record-keeping and monitoring pregnant does after school. Weekends are dedicated to completing broader husbandry tasks. Through this hands-on experience, she has acquired essential knowledge of diet, hydration, fostering techniques, and the importance of maintaining at least four breeding females to sustain and expand the flock.
Her father, who initiated rabbit farming three years ago, expressed satisfaction at his daughter’s dedication and success, acknowledging that her passion has only recently blossomed. He assisted in establishing her independent project, reflecting the powerful role of family mentorship in youth agricultural empowerment.
Tarylyn’s ambition to become an animal scientist underscores the growing pipeline of young Zimbabweans committed to advancing agricultural sciences and practice. Her story exemplifies how targeted youth support and early exposure to farming can yield sustainable livelihoods and invigorate rural economies.
The award included a certificate, agricultural seeds, and a promised cash prize, further incentivising youth engagement in farming activities. As Zimbabwe and broader Southern Africa work to bolster food security and create inclusive economies, young champions like Tarylyn exemplify the future of agriculture — innovative, resilient, and socially transformative.
FFA Explainer Box
_Youth category award:_ Recognition given to young individuals demonstrating exceptional achievement or innovation in agriculture or related fields.
_Buck and doe:_ Male and female rabbits, respectively; critical for breeding programmes.
_Animal scientist:_ A professional who studies animal biology and agriculture to improve livestock production and welfare.
This inspiring narrative serves as a call to action for policymakers, educators, and agricultural stakeholders to invest in youth-led projects and mentorship programmes that harness young people’s potential to reshape Africa’s agricultural landscape.
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