David Makuyana (60) is a smallholder farmer from Nenhowe village in Chimanimani working with PELUM Zimbabwe member, PORET Trust. David is using locally available resources to improve the beauty of his environment.
“I noticed that my environment which l thought to be a paradise was being devalued as a result of excess water runoff and erosion. Rich soils were swept away and rocks were getting exposed. l decided to intensify environment management practices to stop the degradation,” says David.
After noticing the damage that was happening in his homestead, David decided to plant trees to reduce runoff and increase infiltration. This process also helped in reducing the formation of gullies.
“My homestead was quickly degenerating into gullies. Some underground rocks were getting exposed. l decided to plant more trees to reduce runoff and soil erosion. In 2019, I drilled a borehole and installed a tank for storing water for irrigating the trees. I have managed to reverse the degradation and I now have a beautiful orchard,” says David.
David says after he had planted the trees to protect his environment, he felt that there was need to do more on his land. He consulted the PORET Trust manager and officers to help him with more ideas and knowledge.
“The PORET Trust manager Blessing Chamudondo gave me an idea of reclaiming gullies using gabions made of stones and also using the gabions to prevent soil erosion. In September 2020 l called Mr Chamudondo and other PORET staff to equip me with more ideas and knowledge on how I could strengthen environment management,” says David.
Blessing Chamudondo (51) says environment management is labour intensive but the benefits warrant all the effort.
“Managing the environment requires team effort. Constructing gabions may take up to three weeks for a team of about five men,” says Blessing.
Joel Makuyana (48) is a brother to David Makuyana. He is also a smallholder farmer working with PORET Trust and is working on improving the environment through gulley reclamation using stones.
“I did gully reclamation using stones of different sizes. I did the process with Chaseyama Permaculture Club members but sometimes l would work with my family only,” says Joel.
Joel says he faced challenges of people demotivating him about constructing gabions. His neighbours were also against the initiative.
“My neighbouring farmers accused me of constructing death traps as children might fall in after a storm. My neighbors also thought the gabions might pose a threat to them through harboring insects that may cause diseases,” says Joel.
Maponga Blessed (26) works with the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) in Rusape. Maponga explains the importance of gulley reclamation and what his organization is doing to help the farmers reclaim gullies.
“Gulley reclamation helps in conserving soil nutrients. EMA is helping the farmers with technical support and distributing gully reclamation handbooks, “says Maponga.
Maponga says many farmers in Zimbabwe are doing work to reclaim gullies.
“Sixty-five percent of the farmers are taking an initiative to reclaim the land damaged by gullies. This is being done by both smallholder farmers and commercial farmers. We face challenges when dealing with communal farmers as most of them lack knowledge. EMA is in the process of enforcing preservation practices through initiating bylaws like forbidding use of slays to minimize gulley formation,” says Maponga.
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