By Castern Chirima (25)
My name is Castern Chirima and I am 25 years old. I live in Chirima village, Goromonzi District which is located in Mashonaland East Province. My transition to agroecology started on December 17, 2022 when I attended an agroecology workshop at Chitubu Farm in Mt Hampden. The workshop was organised by PELUM Zimbabwe in partnership with the Schools and Colleges Permaculture (SCOPE) Zimbabwe under the auspices of the Zimbabwe Seed Sovereignty Programme (ZSSP). It was my first time to attend an agroecology workshop.
Before going for the workshop, I practised conventional farming. I did not know much about any other way of farming except to use hybrid seed and apply fertilisers. The agroecology training was an eye opener for me and I began to understand the importance of taking care of the soil. I learnt a lot of things at the workshop.
Soon after the workshop, I went back home and I was geared to implement agroecology. I had brought with me some plants that included herbs such as Rosella, mint and lemon grass which I took from SCOPE Zimbabwe. I chose these herbs to put around the home because they are remedies for various ailments.
When I got home I dug some beds to plant the herbs. I used organic matter to enrich the soil. I applied what I had learned and designed the beds in such a way that water does not run off during the rainy season. After I had planted the herbs, I mobilised other community members to start an agroecology project.
Now we have a garden where we grow crops such as bird eye chilli, indigenous maize varieties, finger millet and garlic. We decorate our garden using flowers and herbs. Although some people argued that this project will not be successful, we have managed to prove them wrong. The community now understands that agroecology is the most sustainable way to produce food. Many people in my village are now practicing agroecology.
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