By Peter Mudzingwa AGROECOLOGY: THE KEY TO CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION ZIMSOFF farmers believe that traditional seeds are fundamental to their cultural survival. ZIMSOFF is supporting women, men and young farmers to sow and conserve local seeds whilst growing diverse nutritious crops rooted in their traditional knowledge and spiritual values thus
nurturing mother Earth as a living soul. ZIMSOFF does so through farmer-tofarmer learning, field days, seed fairs, technical trainings and community dialogues on culture and spirituality. ZIMSOFF’s goal is to instill a sense of respect and celebration of farming as a cultural way of life to which young farmers can aspire and educate others about small grain adaptability to the negative and devastating impacts of
climate change. In addition to their resilience to the impacts of climate change, small grains play a vital role in traditional diets in the countryside of Zimbabwe. Unlike maize, small grain such as millet, sorghum and rapoko amongst others have not been fully promoted as key agricultural produce. Despite the introduction of fortified foods standards in Zimbabwe, small grains have since been left out as they still
find a less significant market share especially in urbanities only except their availability as a stock feed, mainly poultry feed, ingredient. Now that climate change is upon us, it is now time for small grains to be promoted as they have been proven beyond any reasonable doubt to be the key to climate change adaptation and resilience whilst at the same time boosting food security and sovereignty in the country.
