Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo , [email protected]
WITNESSING the stark consequences of El Niño, Irene Sambo has committed herself to promoting environmental sustainability, with the cultivation of indigenous fruits at the heart of her diverse initiatives.
Sambo, a chef and entrepreneur managing a hospitality and tourism school, as well as producing juices and sauces from traditional Zimbabwean fruits, experienced first-hand the devastating impact of the recent droughts. Fruit shortages nearly crippled her manufacturing business.
This experience spurred her to utilise the seeds salvaged during fruit processing, embarking on a determined tree-planting programme. She also empowers the women who supply her produce, teaching sustainable harvesting techniques to safeguard these vital trees for future generations.
Sambo, whose family owns a plot in Insiza, uses this land as the central hub for her tree-planting project.
“I am a chef by profession, managing director of a hospitality and tourism school, and I also manage a manufacturing company producing juices and sauces using our indigenous fruits in Zimbabwe.
“During the process, we separate seeds from the fruits before pasteurisation and cooking. We plant those seeds for the project and for environmental sustainability. We noticed that during the drought, most trees didn’t bear fruit, so we decided to start planting the seeds at our plot,” said Sambo.
The El Niño-induced droughts resulted in the death of many trees, particularly those bearing wild fruits. By cultivating traditional fruit trees on her plot, Sambo aims to ensure consistent water supply and improve productivity, thereby mitigating the risk of input shortages during future droughts.
Currently, Sambo sources fruits from various communities, working closely with women who harvest for her.
“We buy these fruits from women and men in our rural homes, and I educate them on the importance of our trees. I emphasise that as they gather the fruits, they must not damage the trees but protect them, to sustain their selling business and the environment. To cultivate their interest, I educate them on the nutritional and medicinal values of our natural resources,” he said.
Sambo, originally from New Lobengula in Bulawayo, is deeply passionate about sustainable environmental management, with a particular focus on protecting local natural resources for future generations. She is also dedicated to the empowerment of women and girls.
She has expressed her support for the Government’s women and youth empowerment programmes, stressing that as the nation approaches its 45th Independence anniversary, citizens should embrace and celebrate the benefits of independence.
@SikhulekelaniM1
Bongani Ndlovu