The Zimbabwe Seed Sovereignty Programme (ZSSP) is using innovative tactics to involve youths as agents to shift citizens’ behaviour towards eating more healthily.
Paidamoyo Kamhapa (19) is one of the youths working with ZSSP partner, Schools and Colleges Permaculture Programme (SCOPE) Zimbabwe, to mobilise Zimbabweans to eat traditional foods and diets. Paidamoyo lives in Sunningdale, one of Harare’s high-density suburbs located about 8 kilometres south-west from the Central Business District. She says cooking is one of her passions.
“I like cooking and eating traditional foods. I cook tasty traditional dishes which have lots of health benefits. I would like to see more youths eating traditional foods and avoid eating processed foods,” says Paidamoyo.
Letwin Charakupa (36) is supporting youths like Paidamoyo. Letwin lives in Sunningdale with her three children. She says traditional foods are not only healthy and nutritious but form Zimbabwe’s identity.
“Our elders used to eat healthy foods that were rich in nutrients. They were healthy and lived longer as compared to our generation. It is commendable to find youths these days frequently eating traditional foods and going back to the fundamental cuisines that identify our society,” she says.
Paidamoyo and Letwin showcased their culinary skills during a traditional foods cooking competition organised by PELUM Zimbabwe members, Young Volunteers for the Environment (YVE) and SCOPE Zimbabwe.
Chipo Nyamukungwa (24), the Programme Officer for SCOPE Zimbabwe says the competition is one of the activities being implemented under the My Food is African campaign. She says the campaign is in partnership with the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) and is aimed at raising awareness on the value of Zimbabwe’s traditional foods (and seeds), dishes, diets and cuisines and influencing political decision making on diets and farming systems in Zimbabwe.