John Taruona (47) is a smallholder farmer who lives in Bikita district located about 80 kilometres east of Masvingo in the Masvingo Province of Zimbabwe. John is working with the Schools and Colleges Permaculture Programme (SCOPE) Zimbabwe to enhance his resilience to the adverse effects of climate change through diversified farming. John had fallen victim to the Green Revolution, a type of agriculture that relies on improved seed and inorganic fertilisers while securing a guaranteed, subsidized market for capture by multinational corporations. “Before I began working with SCOPE Zimbabwe, I only grew white maize. There was no diversity in my farming or in my diet,” says John.
John has completely transformed his food, nutrition and income security. He is practicing fish farming and he is also growing diverse traditional foods using permaculture principles.
“I am now producing a lot of food and I provide decent meals for my family. I have reduced farming costs because I no longer buy inputs to improve my soil. This helps me to save money which I then use to buy other basic needs,” says John.
John intends to continue to diversify his crops. He wants to emphasize on improving the nutrition of his family and his community.
“I have learnt that millet and sorghum are more nutritious substitutes for white maize. I plan to add these to my family’s diet. I will also encourage those around me to grow and cook more traditional foods because they help to build the body compared to the refined foods we are now used to,” says John.
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