Tunnel farming for Zimbabwe, backed by Sunrise Agri Farm
Tunnel Farming is the Zimbabwean arm of Sunrise Agri Farm. We bring its tunnel designs, materials and know-how to growers here, from home gardens to commercial farms.
Who stands behind the structures
Sunrise Agri Farm was established in 2016. It offers a complete service: design, fabrication, supply and installation of greenhouse tunnels, with timely project completion, quality management from start to finish, and budget control.
Sunrise Agri Farm has supplied and installed structures in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Lesotho. Its customers include government departments, municipalities, emerging farmers, mining companies, parastatals, construction companies and building material suppliers across the SADC region.
- 2016
- Sunrise Agri Farm establishedDesigning, supplying and installing greenhouse tunnels since then.
- 4
- Countries with Sunrise structuresSouth Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Lesotho.
- SADC
- Customers across the regionFrom government departments and municipalities to emerging farmers and mining companies.
What tunnel farming is
Tunnel farming means growing crops inside a structure whose walls and roof are made mainly of plastic or net, so plants that need controlled conditions can grow inside. Structures range from small sheds to industrial-sized buildings.
Sunlight warms the inside of a tunnel well above the outside temperature, which protects the crop in cold weather. Commercial tunnels can be high-tech production facilities for vegetables, flowers or fruit, fitted with heating, cooling, lighting and computer control.
Ventilation matters most. It keeps temperature and humidity at the right level, moves air so plant diseases that like still air cannot build up, supplies fresh air for photosynthesis, and lets pollinators reach the crop.
Things to consider before you start
Know your market
Know who will buy what you grow before you plant it.
Water supply
Make sure you have enough water. A tunnel can use up to 2,500 litres a day in peak season.
Hydroponics or soil
If you grow in your own soil, make sure it is good. If you are unsure, have it tested.
Tunnel height and ventilation
The right height depends on the crop you plan to grow inside.
Training and management
Trained staff help a tunnel pay its way. You do not need more labour than the project needs.
Area and conditions
Some areas are very hot with strong winds; others are cold. Plastic and net covers can be combined to suit.
Tunnels are not only for vegetables
The same structures are used for many kinds of growing, single or joined into multispan, covered in plastic or net.
- Vegetable tunnels
- Tree tunnels
- Fish tunnels
- Crocodile tunnels
- Mushroom tunnels
- Hydroponic tunnels
- Single or multispan tunnels
- Plastic tunnels or net houses
