Online Reporter
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Herald Correspondent
ZIMBABWE’S commitment to agricultural heritage and climate resilience was on full display this weekend as the 13th National Seed Fair opened at the Harare Botanical Gardens.
The two-day event, held on Friday and Saturday, drew more than 1 300 participants from across the country, including smallholder farmers, civil society organizations, and government officials.
Organised by Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Zimbabwe, the fair ran under the theme “Nurturing Our Future, Reviving Our Heritage.” It marked the start of the Annual Good Seed and Food Festival, a flagship event for the Zimbabwe Seed
Sovereignty Programme (ZSSP).
“We have at least 1,300 people here from all over the country—smallholder farmers, civil society organisations, and government stakeholders from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development,” said Theophilus Mudzindiko,
Programmes Coordinator for PELUM Zimbabwe.
“This year’s theme was carefully chosen to reflect the significance of the work that smallholder farmers are doing in managing farm-managed seed systems and agroecology, especially as we look into the future in terms of climate resilience and food and nutrition
security,” Mudzindiko explained.
The National Seed Fair has become a vital platform for local seed farmers to market traditional seeds, exchange knowledge, and promote sustainable farming practices that address the challenges of climate change. “Local seed farmers have managed to utilize the
opportunity to market their traditional seeds and to share knowledge and ideas on sustainable farming practices that enable them to fight the effects of climate change on their harvest,” Mudzindiko said.
Farmers at the fair highlighted the value of preserving traditional small grain seeds and the benefits of value addition. “Having such knowledge of growing our own seeds is empowering and it reduces costs of buying seeds. Most of our seed varieties are resistant to
drought, pests, and diseases,” said one participant. Another farmer, who became a successful agribusiness woman after being widowed, credited PELUM Zimbabwe’s training for her ability to support her family and share seeds and ideas with others.
Since its inception in 2013, the National Seed Fair has grown in both scale and impact, now serving as a dynamic marketplace and knowledge hub for rural farmers, buyers, and consumers. The Zimbabwe Seed Sovereignty Programme, established in 2014,
continues to strengthen community-based seed systems, promote farmers’ rights, and build climate resilience nationwide.
As Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector faces mounting challenges from climate change, events like the National Seed Fair are seen as crucial for building resilience and ensuring food security for the nation’s future. The festival also celebrated Zimbabwean culture and
cuisine, with traditional dishes, music, and dance bringing communities together in celebration.
The National Seed Fair and Good Seed and Food Festival concluded on Saturday, with more exhibitions, dialogues, and cultural celebrations planned for the future. Admission was free, inviting all Zimbabweans to join in nurturing the country’s future and reviving
its agricultural heritage.
