Family seeks to rehabilitate the environment they destroyed

Patricia Mazungunye (38) a mother of 5 and smallholder farmer from Chimanimani district. Patricia and her husband are working with PELUM Zimbabwe Member, Participatory Organic Research Extension and Training (PORET) to employ various Agroecological practices to restore their degraded land as well as ensure food security for their family. Photo: Theophilus Mudzindiko/PELUM Zimbabwe

The practice of land clearing by slashing and burning is still very common among farmers. When Patricia Mazungunye (38) and her family moved into Zvokuita village in Chimanimani district, they rid their land of vegetation through cutting and burning.

“When I moved to this place it was a forest and we cut down and burnt the trees. For farming we used to use cattle and just behind the house there was a gulley which we worsened by using it for brick making because of lack of knowledge,” says Patricia.

Patricia says it was through her interactions with other community members that she realised the error of her ways. She learned about the permaculture trainings that PELUM Zimbabwe Member, Participatory Organic Research Extension and Training (PORET) was doing with other farmers.

“As I interacted with others and learned about various projects in the community, I learnt about the Chaseyama Permaculture Club, which I joined in 2017. In 2018 I went for a permaculture design course where I learnt a lot because it is a comprehensive course. However, what I took particular interest in was water harvesting and reforestation (to protect our watershed) and improving soil fertility,” says Patricia.

Patricia returned home shared the knowledge with her husband. This led to a shift in their farming practices, starting with water harvesting.

“When I came back from there I shared with my husband what I had learnt and we then made our A-frame [a tool used in the construction of swales] as I had been taught. I asked for PORET’s assistance in pegging swales. Two staff members came and assisted us with the pegging,” says Patricia.

Patricia and her family began to construct swales. They also dug a well and planted trees.

“After that we then went on to plant trees because it wasn’t proper to just have swales without trees so I planted the pigeon pea (near the swales) and also in the field because it also fertilizes the soil,” says Patricia.

Patricia says she and her husband have nursed about 700 trees in total but they have only just begun their journey.

“We are not ending there, we are continuing to go for more studies…My goal is to replace all the trees that I cut down and burnt, to restore our watershed, that is my desire,” says Patricia.