Diversified farming is enabling small-scale farmers in Mwenezi district to address food and nutrition security and livelihood constraints. Simbisai Machava (60) is one of the small-scale farmers from Mwenezi district, ward 3 in Masvingo province whose life has been impacted by diversified farming.
Simbisai says she has broken free from the vicious cycle of poverty that monoculture had trapped her in. For years Simbisai could not provide sufficient food for her family. She relied on hybrid maize seed and synthetic fertilisers to grow food for her family. However, she could not afford to buy external agricultural inputs. Whenever Simbisai failed to buy these inputs, she would turn to her neighbours and friends for help.
“I used to ask for seed from other farmers. This would lead me to plant late because they gave me seed after they had finished planting,” says Simbisai.
Simbisai’s situation worsened when her husband died in 2009. She was left to fend for her two children yet her farming practices were not giving her any income.
“At that time, I had no plan. My children stopped going to school. I was receiving food aid from the Government and other organisations. I accepted any help because I had no choice,” recalls Simbisai.
Simbisai broke free from depending on food aid and external agricultural inputs after gaining agroecology knowledge and skills while working with PELUM Zimbabwe member, Mwenezi Development Training Centre (MDTC). MDTC imparted knowledge and skills on diversified farming. The organisation linked her and other farmers to local markets. It also provided business management training and enrolled Simbisai into a goat production project.
MDTC helped Simbisai and other farmers to secure markets for their produce. Emilda Chinoda (34), the District Coordinator for MDTC says Simbisai is one of 4, 223 small-scale farmers who have benefitted from the work being done by MDTC. Emilda says MDTC is working to strengthen the resilience of small-scale farmers against climate change.
“Mwenezi is a drought-prone district with very erratic rainfall which is not adequate for crop production, especially maize crop. As an organisation, we initiated a traditional grain production programme and promotion of Open Pollinated Varieties (OPV's) that are drought tolerant as well as small livestock production and management. So far 1, 556 males and 1, 686 females have benefited from the programmes,” says Emilda.
“I was given one goat. In three years, I had seven goats from the one I had received. Over the years I have been selling the goats and my finances have improved. This has enabled me to send my children to school and provide them with basic needs,” testifies Simbisai.
Simbisai now owns 14 goats, several free-range chickens, and guinea fowls. She is also a formidable traditional grains producer in her community. Her success was so dramatic that it caused other villagers to accuse her of using black magic.
“My house and seed bank were set on fire,” recalls Simbisai.
This did not deter her. She continued to practice agroecology and she quickly bounced back. She used the proceeds to buy a residential stand and to build a nine-roomed house in Rutenga, a high-density suburb located in Mwenezi district.
MDTC’s work complements Government efforts to promote climate resilient agriculture in Mwenezi. Jemitias Denhere (47), an Agronomist working with farmers in Mwenezi affirms the work being done by MDTC noting that more work still needs to be done on value addition and market access.
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