Smallholder farmers work to restore Africa’s food system

Field day in Dzvairo Village, Makoni district. Participants share knowledge and skills drawing lessons from a crop field belonging to Kudzai Kudoma (48). Kudzai is a smallholder farmer working with Food, Environment and Enterprise Trust (FEET), a PELUM Zimbabwe member. FEET is encouraging the production of finger millet in large quantities both for multiplication purposes and income generation. Photo: Faith Chakamanga/FEET

Participants at the field day in Chiware village Food, Environment and Enterprise Trust (FEET), a PELUM Zimbabwe member is working with smallholder farmers in Makoni district to strengthen and promote agroecological practices. The field day was meant to recognize the work of these farmers and encourage other farmers and stakeholders to shift towards sustainable food systems in the wake of climate change. Photo: Faith Chakamanga/FFET

Smallholder farmers working with the Food, Environment and Enterprise Trust (FEET) in partnership with UKUVUNA and the Seed and Knowledge Initiative held two field days in April 2019 aimed at sharing knowledge and skills on agroecology and seed management.

Speaking at the event that attracted more than 70 smallholder farmers, traditional leaders and government officials from Chiware and Dzvairo villages in Rusape located in Makoni District, Susan Marongere, the Programme Officer for FEET said the field days were organised to facilitate learning while celebrating local farmers and the role they play to feed the nation.

“The purpose of these field days was to bring together stakeholders from the local government, traditional leaders, local youths, private sector, NGOs and all farmers involved with FEET seed activities and non-participating farmers to visit ongoing activities on farmers’ fields and learn as well as share experiences,” said Susan.

On 24 and 25 April 2019, participants toured two selected fields in Chiware and Dzvairo villages. They interacted with farmers on diverse issues including ways to deal with the current climate crisis.

“Climate change requires action to ensure that families are food secure at household level. I encourage you to grow small grains because they are drought tolerant,” said Susan.

The field days also provided an opportunity to map a way forward in strengthening sustainable farming practices including capacity building needs on several practices and facets of building a sustainable community such as making bio-fertilisers organic herbicides, seed production of finger millet, seed banks and seed management, value addition and entrepreneurship among others.

FEET is a PELUM Zimbabwe Member working in Rusape, located in Makoni District in Manicaland province. It lies approximately 170 kilometres (110 miles) southeast Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare.