Martin Muleya
CHIMANIMANI-Towards Sustainable Use of Resources Organization (TSURO) Trust recently hosted a successful Nemakonde landscape seed and food festival at Bumba primary school in Chimanimani district, Manicaland Province.
The event showcased traditional seeds and promoted conservation agricultural practices as a way to combat hunger in drought-stricken areas.
TSURO Trust agro-ecology lead instructor, Farai Gumisai highlighted that the festival has grown significantly since its inception last year, with the number of participating farmers increasing from 45 to 81. The event aims to dispel misconceptions about traditional seeds and promote knowledge sharing on good farming practices.
“The NurturePlus project in ward 7 is to help each other in the community in safeguarding resources and using them sustainably. We are also in support of government efforts in alleviating hunger in communities by producing adequate food. We make sure that communities have adequate knowledge on what is needed on good farming practices to produce maximum yields in their small pieces of land. We have different practices we implement like making sure the soil is fertile. We encourage them to use manure, using livestock crop food impaction,” highlighted Gumisai.
Ever Makwinimizi a lead farmer of Budiriro group at Mandima village shared her experience with the NurturePlus project as a farmer.
“We were initiated into conservation agriculture through a training where we learnt about minimum soil disturbance, soil cover, and crop rotation. Without these principles, there is no conservation agriculture,” she explained.
Makwinimizi proudly stated that she is already implementing these practices on her land, achieving maximum yields on a small piece of land. Initially, she admitted, they were skeptical, but after gaining knowledge through the NurturePlus project, they now appreciate its benefits.
“Now we are producing more from less land. We used to despise the program but after following the conservation agricultural practices we now see the light. Now the food I have is more than what my plot used to produce in the past and this is because I have been feeding the soil,” she said highlighting the project’s impact on their farming practices and livelihoods.
Langton Mutsakani, a farmer from ward 7 Nezandonyi village, expressed his excitement about the traditional seed fair, highlighting the benefits of short-term varieties that mature quickly. He also noted that these traditional seeds have medicinal properties, helping to cure certain diseases.
Mutsakani appreciated the growing number of farmers participating in the NurturePlus project, emphasizing the importance of knowledge sharing and exchange of ideas among local farmers. He hopes that the platform will enable them to learn from each other, improve their farming practices and ultimately enhance their livelihoods.
“This project for me is good as we get to meet other farmers growing the traditional seeds. Where we are gathered today we see different crop yields and when one grows them they are short term varieties. We are learning a lot and our numbers have increased. These traditional seeds also help to cure diseases like cancer,” said Mutsakani.
The festival is funded by the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) and focuses on conservation agriculture, a key project for TSURO Trust. Through trainings with lead farmers, TSURO Trust is empowering communities to adopt sustainable farming practices and safeguard their resources.
By promoting conservation agriculture, TSURO Trust is helping communities build resilience to climate change and improve food security. The organization’s efforts are crucial in supporting vulnerable communities and promoting sustainable development.
