PORET creates a centre of excellence for ecosystem management

Biodiversity conservation and watershed management is taking place in the fenced 20 hectare Participatory Organic Research Extension and Training (PORET) site. However, just outside where the forest is unprotected, deforestation, veld fires and overgrazing poses a significant threat to the ecosystem. PORET is a PELUM Zimbabwe member working with smallholder farmers in Manicaland Province. Photo: Kumbirai Dube/PORET

PELUM Zimbabwe member Participatory Organic Research Extension and Training (PORET) has turned its 20 hectare site into a centre of excellence for ecosystem management.

The development was necessitated by the rampant veld fires, overgrazing and deforestation happening within the community where the centre is located in Chimanimani district.

“People in the surrounding areas were cutting down trees and burning to have charcoal which they use to warm themselves and for sale in Mutare,” says Kumbirai Dube, PORET Programmes Officer.

PORET decided to take urgent action to combat the resultant ecosystem degradation around the PORET training centre.

“There is reduced vegetation cover, loss of top soil, reduced biodiversity and increasing respiratory diseases,” says Kumbirai.

PORET started by erecting a fence around the PORET training centre. This allowed the site to become a learning centre for watershed management, land use design, land and soil management, water harvesting and climate mitigation.

These activities have led to enhancement of, “functional biodiversity and provision of the most favourable soil conditions for plant growth, by managing organic matter and enhancing soil biological activity,” says Kumbirai.

“The fenced site is now a model to show the restoration of degraded land where farmers have look and learn trainings. Many farmers are now replicating lessons learnt at their fields,” adds Kumbirai.

PORET has become a best practice site for training farmers and students.

“We have hosted students from Bindura University who were attached to PORET in 2018 studying for a Diploma in Agroecology on this site,” says Kumbirai.