Rebuilding Community Seed Bank Sovereignty underway in Rusitu Valley

Farmers in Rusitu Valley have started the process of rebuilding their community seed bank which was destroyed during the Cyclone Idai Induced Floods which left a trail of destruction in Chimanimani District in 2019.

With the scars of Cyclone Idai permanently visible throughout Chimanimani District, the Rusitu Valley community is determined to put the past behind and forge a new future that is aimed at restoring the local community seed bank sovereignty which was wiped off by the devastating effects of Cyclone Idai.

The process has been made easy and possible courtesy of a local community based organisation, TSURO Trust and Department of Agritex, through holding ward based, district and provincial seed fairs, a platform which strengthens the capacity of farmers in establishing seed sovereignty.

The Seed Fairs are aimed at building resilient rural livelihoods and adaptation to climate change and is a huge step towards farmer’s preparedness for the 2024-2025 summer cropping season.

In an interview on the side-lines of Rusitu valley seed fair cluster held at Copa Business Centre, many community members said the Cyclone Idai induced floods destroyed the Rusitu Valley seed bank and for the community its now back to the drawing board as they start afresh to rebuild the seed bank.

“When cyclone idai came not only did the floods destroyed our farming fields but our local seed bank which we had built over the years were destroyed and that through the seed fairs we have started the process of rebuilding the seed bank, and this will take some time for us to be fully resources and to attain the status which we had reached as a community in terms of seed sovereignty, noted Mrs Chenai Chagwiza a local farmer in ward 21.

Another local farmer Mrs Stabile Mashava who lives in Mukondomi village also made the same sentiments saying, the process of rebuilding slow as it is but we are making progress step by step.

“We are making strides together with development partners and government to build the community seed bank, as we gather for different seed fairs, it is a golden opportunity to share seed and exchange.

Building the seed bank is a process which takes time, but we are grateful that one step at a time we are moving slowly rebuilding the destroyed seed bank,” she said.

Ward 21 Councillor for the area Kefas Dhlumo said it will take sometimes for the community to attain seed sovereignty indicating that the process has been ignited by the collaborative and stakeholder approach driven by Towards Sustainable Utilisation of Resources Organisation courtesy of the SKI funded project.

“Prior Cyclone Idai the community had build resilient seed bank which is adaptive to climate change, but Cyclone Idai reversed every progressive development. We are strenghthering on traditional crops and our farmers are actively participating in building the broken pieces.

We are busy as a community to spearhead the implementation of conservation agriculture as we prepare for the summer cropping season and we want to appreciate the work of government and development partners in ensuring that food security and nutrition is realised in the greater Rusitu valley area,” said Councilor Dhlumo.

The Agriculture Extension Officer for Ward 21 in Rusitu Valley Cluster Mr Mugocherwa Charles, commended the commitment and dedication of the local farmers in rising above the devastating effects of Cyclone Idai in many areas including seed sovereignty.

“Our farmers were assisted through the National Gene Bank in rebuilding the lost seed bank and sovereignty. It has been a rough terrain for the Rusitu valley community but what inspires us most is their resilience and dedication in burying the past and writing a new narrative.

With increased seed fairs intervention being rolled out, it is a positive step in slowly rebuilding the seed bank and more so it boost the farmers’ preparedness ahead of the 2024- 2025 summer cropping season,” said Mr Mugocherwa.

Under the Seed and Knowledge Initiative (SKI) project being implemented by TSURO Trust in Chimanimani District, it is envisaged that the project will strengthen food security and seed sovereignty.

The project also focuses on improving food sovereignty through resilient farmer-led seed systems and more biodiverse and multifunctional landscapes.