Yeukai Karengezeka in Chimanimani

Smallholder farmers growing small grains, drought and pest resistant seeds in Chimanimani participated at a two day Chimani-Mbeu Seed Market Day that ended yesterday.

The event was held at Mhakwe Primary School being hosted by a community based organisation called Towards Sustainable Use of Resources Organisation (TSURO) Trust.

Farmers are working in conjunction with Government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in promoting agri-ecology as a way of ensuring food and nutrition security is fully restored following the drastic impacts of Cyclone Idai that destroyed the land and led to loss of human lives.

Over 80 indigenous seed varieties were brought by farmers from across the 21 wards of Chimanimani district. Some of them included different varieties of ground nuts, maize, sunflower, rapoko, sorghum and pearl millet.

TSURO Trust programmes officer for sustainable agriculture and natural resource management, Mrs Roseline Mukonoweshuro said the event is meant to improve accessibility to quality seed varieties before the planting season.

“This is a free market where farmers bring in their different kind of seeds, mostly indigenous ones, to sell at affordable prices. This programme is meant to improve accessibility to quality seed varieties before the planting season,” she said.

All the seeds that are sold at the event first undergo inspection and get approval from Agritex officers.

The seed marketing day has been instrumental in reviving other indigenous seed varieties that were almost becoming extinct.

“Such an event helps us to identify some seeds that are almost becoming extinct by looking at the number of farmers that bring that seed on the marketing day. For instance sesame had become scarce but through seed bank it is now available,” said Mrs Mukonoweshuro.

A farmer, Mr Kelvin Chimombe said the skills training they are receiving from TSURO Trust in collaboration with Voluntary Services Overseas will go a long way to help them increase                                  productivity.

“Our partners Tsuro and VSO have assisted us immensely as small scale farmers in improving our farming skills, productivity and quality of seeds we are producing through agro-ecology. Currently, I am making a lot of money by selling part of my seeds and produce within and outside my community,” said Mr Kelvin Chimombe.

VSO project manager, Mr Simba Guzha said the aim of the organisation was to capacitate smallholder farmers in Chimanimani and enhance their livelihoods.

“As VSO we work with well-established experts in particular areas and community volunteers. Like here in Chimanimani we placed an ecology specialist who is capacitating young community volunteers who also participate in risk assessments, collection of data and doing the action plans,” he said.

“We provide platform in terms of blended approach on seed sovereignty, improvements of seeds in case of a disaster. Most community seed banks managed to keep seeds and this helped farmers after Cyclone Idai.”

VSO also capacitates them with organic fertilisers including fermented and organic manure from matter readily available in their communities improve accessibility to quality seed varieties before the planting season,” she said.

All the seeds that are sold at the event first undergo inspection and get approval from Agritex officers.

The seed marketing day has been instrumental in reviving other indigenous seed varieties that were almost becoming extinct.

“Such an event helps us to identify some seeds that are almost becoming extinct by looking at the number of farmers that bring that seed on the marketing day. For instance sesame had become scarce but through seed bank it is now available,” said Mrs Mukonoweshur0.