Nemakonde High Students Unveil Automated Maize Bagging System, Drive Education 5.0 Forward

CHINHOYI — Students from Nemakonde High School are putting Education 5.0 into practice after unveiling a prototype automatic maize bagging system at the Chinhoyi Agricultural Show.

The machine is designed to pack maize grains into sacks automatically as they come out of the sheller. According to the student team, the system speeds up packaging, ensures equal quantities in every sack, and reduces both under-packing and over-packing compared to manual methods.

“It reduces manual labour because everything is automated,” said Carlos Chimbomira, who led the project team. “The system helps farmers pack grains faster and more accurately, saving time and energy.”

Education 5.0 prioritizes teaching, research, innovation, and community service as part of Zimbabwe’s drive toward an upper-middle-income economy by Vision 2030. The Nemakonde exhibit was cited by visitors as an example of how secondary schools are aligning with that goal.

People who toured the stand said the agricultural show gave young learners an opportunity to showcase their capabilities and engage directly with industrialists and other stakeholders.

“The show has opened doors for these students to present their ideas and exchange views with industry players,” one visitor commented.

Education officials and attendees at the show said more support was needed to move such innovations from prototype to production.  
“The students need to be funded for their research and innovations so that these ideas can yield tangible results for Zimbabwe,” the officials noted.

The Chinhoyi Agricultural Show ran from 3 to 8 August and brought together schools, farmers, companies, and government departments.