Farmers, the ecosystem managers for soil restoration

Martin Mazungunye (42), a smallholder farmer from Chimanimani district in Manicaland is working with PELUM Zimbabwe Member, PORET Trust to restore soil fertility through agroforestry. Photo: PELUM Zimbabwe.

Martin Mazungunye (42) is a smallholder farmer practicing agroforestry in Chimanimani district. Martin says he and other smallholder farmers in the district have realized that agroforestry helps to improve soil fertility in their fields.

“From the time I started practicing agroforestry, I have noticed that the soil structure in my field has improved. I get the seeds from the forests and grow them in the nursery. Most of the trees are indigenous and survive on rainfall without the need for supplementary watering,” says Martin.

Martin says agroforestry helps in conserving soil and the water in the sense that it reduces raindrop impact and wind action on soil particles by increasing soil cover. He adds that agroforestry controls erosion while maintaining and improving soil fertility.

PORET Trust Director Julious Piti (49) concurs with Martin and further explains the importance of agroforestry to the soil.

“Agroforestry keeps plant and animal diversity while smallholder farmers increase crop yields. Companion plants such as creepers and legumes, fruit trees, and fodder keep the farm rich with heavy mulch and eventually building the soil fertility with little or less effort,” says Julious.

PORET Trust is not only training smallholder farmers in agroecology but they also have a piece of land where they are implementing agroforestry. Blessing Chamudondo (51), the organisation’s manager says smallholder farmers learn better by seeing what PORET is doing.

“As an organization we are setting an example for farmers and visitors so that they see how agroforestry is done. We then provide training and support to the smallholder farmers who intend to implement,” says Blessing.

Rachel Mufumiri (25) AGRITEX officer with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water & Rural Resettlement encourages farmers to adopt agroforestry so as to improve soil fertility.

“Trees such as acacia trees have deep roots which help in the uptake of nutrients from underneath the ground back to the soil (top soil) thereby increasing soil fertility. Some trees are legumes and they help to fix nitrogen into the soil which increases soil fertility,” says Rachel.