The Princess Royal has visited a farm in Landbeach where David Mwanaka grows white maize, along with other exotic crops like horned melon and pumpkin leaves, that are popular with African, Indian, Vietnamese, and Mexican communities.
When Mr Mwanaka moved to the UK more than 20 years ago, he started growing traditional Zimbabwean vegetables on an allotment but as demand for his produce increased, he needed more space and rented small fields on informal arrangements.
In 2022 he secured a farm tenancy with Cambridgeshire County Council and now has almost 500 acres of land which offers security to grow his business on.
Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, visited the farm on 18 September and planted a peach tree to mark the occasion.
Mr Mwanaka thanked Princess Anne for supporting farming and he spoke about the importance of encouraging young people into the industry, with children from Milton Primary School also present.
The council has over 33,000 acres of farmland across the county, the largest public sector estate in England and Wales, which it leases to a diverse range of more than 160 tenant farmers.
It is used for farming an increasingly varied range of crops – from pumpkins to peonies – and hosts a growing number of livestock farmers.
Councillor Karen Young, chair of the Assets and Procurement Committee, said: “I am very proud that Mr Mwanaka has been able to build such a dynamic and exciting business on one of our many rural estate farms. What a fantastic testament to his hard work that it has attracted the interest of Princess Anne.
“We have 160 tenant farmers working hard across Cambridgeshire all year round and the support of The Princess Royal is extremely valuable to the industry.
“We never underestimate the importance of our farmers and their contribution to the wider community. They provide a real boost to the local economy and make a huge contribution to improving the biodiversity of our natural environment.
“Our tenant farmers also collectively pay more than £5m in rent each year, contributing to the delivery of frontline council services.”
