The Zulu Nation is well known throughout the world and is one of the most populous cultural communities of Southern Africa. The reigning monarch of the Zulu Nation is Isilo Samabandla (king) Misuzulu Sinqobile kaZwelithini. He serves the Zulu Nation in collaboration with the amakhosi (kings) and izinduna (headmen) of the different traditional communities that comprises the Zulu Nation.

Mntwana (prince) Bambindlovu Zulu is a brother of His Majesty King Misuzulu and a vegetable farmer at the royal palace called KwaKhangelamankengane located north of the town Nongoma in the northern parts of the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. Mntwana Bambindlovu and his team supply cabbage and other vegetables to local supermarkets.

Mntwana Bambindlovu faced a challenge with an irrigation system that was not reliable and used water inefficiently. This resulted in production loss, due to some plants not receiving sufficient water and also excessive weed growth that required a lot of labour and chemicals to control. RRAIN started a project in partnership with Mntwana Bambindlovu to improve his irrigation system so that he and his team could draw on the advantage of a more efficient and profitable farming operation.

The vegetable fields were accurately surveyed using drone technology in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development. This survey was used to design an optimal dripper irrigation system that was implemented with great success. The dripper irrigation system reduces the impact on the environment by using less water and by also reducing the need for chemical weed control because watering is controlled and limited. Production was improved at the same time due to the dripper irrigation system’s ability to ensure sufficient water supply to all plants.

Mntwana Bambindlovu and his team are working towards the establishment of a sustainable and profitable agricultural enterprise. Mntwana Bambindlovu calls Gejalesizwe in the local language, isiZulu, which means “Plow of the Nation”.