The Mbvelelo mopani worm processing plant in Matshiloni, Beitbridge District, Matabeleland South, has been idle since 2023 due to a scarcity of mopane worms.
The scarcity of mopane worms has been linked to prolonged droughts, which stress mopane trees and reduce their leaf production. With less food available, the population of mopane worms dwindles.
Established in September 2019, the plant became a vital lifeline for the local community, providing employment for over 12 people and supporting 18 members of the Rovhona Raita Co-operative.
In an interview with the <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/drought-halts-operations-at-mopane-worm-processing-plant/">Chronicle</a>, Mbvelelo (Pvt) Ltd board member Fadzai Muvhango said there is a need for the plant to be revived as many families were dependent on it. Said Muvhango:
<blockquote>
When this project came, it transformed our lives. We could support our families and send our children to school. Many of us, especially widows, found a solution to our problems through this initiative.
Now, with mopane worms in short supply, we are left desperate. The machinery and plant are there, and it would bring us great relief to see them functional again.
</blockquote>
Matabeleland South provincial development coordinator in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Merjury Sikundla, said there is a need to diversify the plant’s operations to keep it operational. She said:
<blockquote>
When this plant was established, it was meant to empower women and youth, benefiting the entire community. The scarcity of amacimbi has disrupted operations for two consecutive seasons.
We cannot let this facility go to waste. Plans are underway to introduce alternative products like dried vegetables, matemba, and beans to ensure the plant serves its purpose.
</blockquote>
The Mbvelelo plant is equipped with modern machinery sourced from China, including a washing machine, dryer, bleaching, and packaging machines.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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The Mbvelelo processing plant in Matabeleland South had to close because there were not enough mopane worms. There was not enough food for the worms because of droughts. The plant helped many people by giving them jobs and supporting their families. Now that the worms are scarce, people are struggling. They want to start the plant again and maybe make other products like dried vegetables. The plant has modern machines to help with processing.Officials are working on a plan to save the plant and help the community.

Mbvelelo Processing Plant Shuts Down Due To Mopane Worm Shortage

A traditional leader in Matabeleland South Province, says outsiders should not harvest mopane worms (amacimbi / madora) in the region as they employ poor methods of harvesting.
This comes after the province has been inundated by people from various parts of the country who have been harvesting the worms since the onset of the rainy season.
Gwanda chief Khulumani Mathema told Sunday Southern Eye that the uncontrolled harvesting of mopane worms threatened the economic well-being of the region. He said:
<blockquote>
Amacimbi have been one of the economic enablers for people in our districts.
Now they (outsiders) are chopping down trees, which are the major source of mopane worms breeding.
So one wonders why the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) is not protecting our people.
This is not the way to live; you know these people come here and do their business of collecting mopane worms and some do not even have respect because they cut down the trees.
Another thing is they do not know the process of collecting because they are not supposed to take them when they are still on the tree.
Instead, they should wait until they are now moving off from the tree on their own.
</blockquote>
Mathema said it is perplexing that people travel from faraway places to harvest Mopane worms in Matabeleland yet people from the region do not go to other regions to exploit natural resources found there. He said:
<blockquote>
The locals know how to collect the worms and understand the whole process to harvest amacimbi.
My question is: Have they ever seen us going to their provinces to collect any of the things that their areas are well-known for?
These people do not respect us and our culture, which is not fair because we no longer live peacefully.
They should not come here because they are now ripping us off our environmental rights.
If they want mopane worms (amacimbi) they should get them from wherever they come from not here.
</blockquote>
The traditional leader said their efforts to engage the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) on the issue have not been successful.
A Kaufusi villager, Reboni Noko said outsiders were also polluting the environment by leaving plastic bags and baby diapers everywhere.
Another villager, Relebile Nare said they were losing patience with the “foreigners” that had taken over their area.
Matabeleland South EMA public relations officer Sithembokuhle Moyo told Southern Eye they were aware of the issue but had not been empowered to intervene. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/southerneye/news/article/200006437/tension-over-mopani-worms-harvesting">Southern Eye</a>

Mopane Worms Harvesting: "Outsiders" Accused Of Destroying The Environment

It’s <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Mopane_Worms">Mopane Worm</a> season in Zimbabwe. Here are some things that you probably didn’t know about the worm.
<h2>1. Mopane worms become a moth</h2>
The worm is actually the larval stage of a moth called the Emperor Moth. The life cycle of the Emperor Moth begins with the adult moths laying eggs on the leaves of the mopane tree. The egg hatches the worm and eventually, the worm’s body becomes, pupae and then the moth. The best time to harvest Mopane is just before they become pupae.
<h2>2. Mopane worms are also farmed</h2>
They are not just found in the wild. These worms can be farmed. In Zimbabwe, <a href="https://twitter.com/mopanep?lang=en">Mopane Worms Enterprises</a> is dedicated to the commercial farming of edible insects. The company sells mopane worms, mopane worms eggs, pupae, and moths.
In fact in 2005 one NGO released a short book called The “Farming Mopane Worms” guide which was available in English, Shona, and Ndebele.
<h2>3. Not just a Zimbabwean delicacy</h2>
Zimbabweans that have traveled beyond the country’s borders will tell you that Mopane worms are a delicacy in many countries in Southern Africa including South Africa (Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces), Zambia, Botswana, and northern Namibia.
<h2>4. Mopane worms numbers are decreasing</h2>
Mopane worms are on the decline though specific numbers are hard to come by. The biggest threat to the worms is over-harvesting which happens because of economic difficulties. People overharvest to consume as well as to sell for a living.
In Zimbabwe, the <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/mopane-worm-harvesters-flood-matabeleland-region/">Parks and Wildlife Management Authority mount roadblocks</a> to monitor and prevent the overharvesting of the worms.
Mopane worms are also threatened by the cutting down of Mopane trees during harvesting. People do it to reach Mopane worms at the tops of the tree.
The Zimbabwe forestry commission also monitors and educates harvesters to stop cutting down Mopane trees.
<h2>5. Vernacular names</h2>
Mopane worms are known by the following vernacular names in Southern:
<ul>
<li>Zimbabwe: Macimbi in Ndebele, Madora or Mashonja in Shona, Mahonja in Kalanga</li>
<li>Botswana: Phane in Tswana</li>
<li>South Africa: Mašotša in Sotho, Mashonzha in Venda, Matamani in Tsonga, Iinnondo in Zulu</li>
<li>Zambia: Ifishimu in Bemba </li>
<li>Namibia: Omagungu in Ovambo, Oshuungu in Oshikwanyama</li>
<li>DRC: Mingolo in Kongo</li>
</ul>

5 Things About Mopane Worms You Probably Didn't Know

Mopane worm harvesters have inundated parts of rural Matabeleland following the above-normal rains received in many parts of the country which have resulted in the availability of plenty of the protein-rich worms.
One such area that has been invaded by mopane warm (amacimbi / madora) harvesters is the bushy area along the Bulawayo-Solusi Road.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) rangers are, however, stopping traffic along the stretch of road to ensure that no one leaves the area with more than two buckets filled with the mopane worms.
A group of harvesters told the Chronicle that the Zimparks rangers are there to regulate the harvesting of the worms.
Emelia Ndlovu said she is from the Pumula South suburb in Bulawayo and they drove all the way to get the worms.
Ndlovu, who said every year she visits the area once the rains come, explained that mopane worm harvesting is a long process that needs to be done carefully. She said:
<blockquote>
Before choosing the area where one will harvest, you need to carefully scan it and see whether there are enough amacimbi in the area and if so, if they’re big enough. After doing that comes the harvesting part.
You pick a handful if they’re already scattered on the ground and if not, you need to bring down the tree branches or better yet cut them down so that you can reach the worms.
</blockquote>
She said after picking them and filling one’s container, you clean each worm one by one. Said Ndlovu:
<blockquote>
This is the painful part because amacimbi are not smooth and cleaning them often hurts. Once cleaned, we carry them home where we boil and dry them.
Most people prefer carrying them after they have been cleaned because if they’re not, they will be very heavy and they take up a lot of space.
</blockquote>
A man who only identified himself as Nkomo said he and his group were from Kadoma and travelled overnight to harvest the worms.
A local harvester, Hilda Dube said amacimbi are no longer found near the road as a lot of people have rushed to harvest them. She said:
<blockquote>
I sell amacimbi to cross-border traders at R700 per bucket and keep some for home consumption.
The only challenge that we come across here is the danger of being bitten by snakes. Snakes eat amacimbi so once they are around, you know a snake is nearby.
Just this morning as we were harvesting, we saw a big snake and we immediately vacated the area and went to a different spot.
</blockquote>
Reports suggest that in a good season, over 500 tonnes of mopane worms are collected throughout Matabeleland South Province with an estimated value of up to US$1 000 000. | <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/watch-solusi-area-abuzz-with-amacimbi-harvesters/">Chronicle</a>

Mopane Worm Harvesters Flood Matabeleland Region

The Forestry Commission has partnered with various entities to set up mopane worm-rearing facilities in Matabeleland South Province to save mopane worms (amacimbi/madora) from possible extinction due to various factors.
Traditionally, mopane worms were harvested in December and April each year but due to overharvesting, uncontrolled cutting of trees, harsh weather conditions and pests, some areas are going for years without producing them.
A Gwanda villager, a Mr Sibanda, told the Chronicle that people have been coming from different areas to harvest the Mopane worms thereby threatening their existence. He said:
<blockquote>
We grew up knowing that our area was an amacimbi area. Every April and December we knew that we would be harvesting them. Some, we would eat and some we would sell.
In the past, there wasn’t that much selling, but then we started having people coming from different areas to harvest amacimbi.
The more people came in to harvest amacimbi the more they became scarce. People became desperate to the extent that they would even harvest the small ones, leaving the trees bare.
Gradually, the population of the mopane worms declined to an extent where they started missing seasons.
We have mopane trees in our area, but we no longer have amacimbi every season.
</blockquote>
In a bid to protect the caterpillars, two mopane worm-rearing facilities have been set up in Gwanda, with one established in Ward 15 through the assistance of the Southern Alliance For Indigenous Resources (SAFIRE).
The other facility is in Ward 21 and was established under the Government-led Insects for Nutrition Programme.
Forestry Commission Matabeleland South provincial manager, Bekezela Tshuma said:
<blockquote>
The availability of mopane worms is under threat due to human and environmental factors.
We want to preserve and ensure their existence through these rearing facilities.
We put pupae in pupation beds where they can hibernate and come out as moths which will then lay eggs that become mopane worms.
If a lot of mopane worms are produced within the facility, then we can distribute them in the bush to enhance their production.
This will guarantee their continuous availability as they will be protected from predators.
We will also be able to monitor the harvesting process at the facility to ensure that villagers leave seed.
We will also distribute some mopane worms in areas where they have now become extinct.
</blockquote>
Mopane worms are a popular delicacy across Zimbabwe. Amacimbi (Ndebele) of madora (Shona), can be snacked on dry, crispy fried, or cooked in a sauce of choice. | <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/forestry-commission-intervenes-to-save-mopane-worms/">Chronicle</a>

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