Online Reporter
Takudzwa Manzero
Correspondent
THE Chimanimani Good Food, Music and Seed Festival rolled to life yesterday, marking the start of the three-day event at Chakohwa Primary School in Chimanimani District, courtesy of the Participatory Organic Research Extension Trust (PORET) in Zimbabwe.
The three-day event is being held under the theme: “Celebrating the Diversity and Resilience of Zimbabwean food and beyond.”
Guest of honour on the opening day, Dr Mai Rebecca Chisamba led a community dialogue that was aimed at collaborating and conversing on the importance of agro-ecology in the community.
In her presentation during the communal discussion under the topic: “Usimbe ndihwo here urikukonzeresa nzara mudunhu reAfrica,” she brought to light the farming philosophical differences.
She said: “We urge farmers to take up the traditional farming heritage embedded in their families and communities as it is intricately connected to eco-friendly solutions. It is also important as families that farming information be passed down between generations so that we may achieve sustainability.”
PORET programmes officer, Mr Blessing Matondo said: “The event is meant to offer a conversation platform on agro-ecology and its benefits. It is of importance that we see the resuscitation of eco-friendly farming solutions as they will curb poverty and food illnesses caused by processed foods. One of the first steps in doing so is that we decolonise from applying western commercial farming practices upon our subsistence farming pegged pieces of land. Today, we have made significant strides in the Chakohwa community in the bid to facilitate gradual migration to full-scale agro-ecology and nutritiously balanced meals.”
Mrs Gloria Mafukidze, Agricultural Business Advisory Officer for Chimanimani Ward Four said: “For the small-holder farmers making a living off subsistence farming, there is need to control the amount of chemical input into vegetables. This is because of the ammonia content in fertilisers which has residue side effects upon injection into the body. Such a chemical component cannot be digested by the body, so it must be controlled. Agro-ecological methods in farming are thereby a better option due to their natural ingredients. These enhance the quality of produce and its taste. Food produced through agro-ecology processes such as using bokashi fertilisers have relatively low to no risk of inducing illnesses and cancers in consumers and the immediate ecosystem.”
