Chikukwa smallholder farmers embrace agroecology

Richard Seda (61) (in blue tracksuit) from Jantiya village ward 11 is chairperson of the Chimanimani Grazing Committee and has been impacting his field with cattle since 2021. Richard says since he started impacting his fields, he has received better harvest than before. Photo: Collins Chirinda/PELUM Zimbabwe

Smallholder farmers in the Chikukwa community of Chimanimani district in Manicaland Province are using agroecological practices to combat soil erosion and improve soil fertility. The farmers are also growing diverse crops, which is contributing to household food security, nutrition and resilience.

John Njanji (51) is one of the smallholder farmers who has embraced agroecology and is using livestock to regenerate his fields. John says livestock trample, urinate and deposit dung in a systematic way in his crop fields and this increases soil fertility in his fields.

“Our community receives high rainfall. There is a risk of loss of soil nutrients due to erosion and leaching. Innovations such as using livestock to regenerate soil fertility are important for farmers in this region. From the time I started using livestock to impact the farmlands, I have observed an increase in yields,” says John.

John says soil improvement requires a systems approach and adapting to the local context. He started by constructing terraces and planting trees and vetiver grass to slow down water runoff.

“The mountainous terrain makes it very easy for soil to be eroded. I started terracing and planting trees to improve the stability of the soil and avoid landslides after heavy downpours,” says John.

He says terracing has enabled him to plant diverse crops such as wheat, potatoes and sugar beans among others.

Richard Seda (61) another farmer from Chikukwa community says he started working with livestock to regenerate his crop field in 2021 and was impressed by the results.

“I impacted this land by using movable kraals (Bomas or overnight enclosures for livestock) during the 2021 farming season and the results I got were very satisfactory. On a small piece of land, I got better harvests than I used to get when using synthetic fertilisers,” says Richard.

John and Richard say they appreciate the support that they are receiving from PELUM Zimbabwe member, Chikukwa Ecological Land Use Community Trust, (CELUCT).

“CELUCT is supporting smallholder farmers in Chikukwa with technical assistance in terms of organizing holistic planned grazing. We are also supporting farmers with knowledge on using livestock to regenerate the depleted farmland.” says Samuel Chimbarara (41), the CELUCT Programmes Officer.