Gideon Mangare (30), a youth farmer from Gutaurare Village in Ward 22 under Chief Zimunya, says agroecology opened his eyes to the harm caused by the conventional farming practices he once relied on.
His awakening came through observing the work of small-scale farmers in his community who were implementing agroecological practices with support from PELUM Zimbabwe member organisation, Zivakwawakabva. Witnessing the positive impact of this work on farmers’ livelihoods and the land itself inspired Gideon to join Zivakwawakabva in 2022.
“Before I joined Zivakwawakabva, I depended solely on these synthetic fertilisers and conventional farming methods, unaware that these practices were detrimental to the soil’s natural health. Personally, I was a person who had been concerned about the impact of farming on land and by learning about Zivakwawakabva, I found my calling as their work converted me,” he shares.
Gideon says he now has a better understanding of how different elements within a farming system work together, and how these synergies can be used to improve soil health and production.
“Owing to the knowledge I gained on integrated farming techniques through trainings facilitated by Zivakwawakabva Trust, I am now creating farming synergies on my crop fields where I use water from my fish pond to irrigate my vegetables, beans and maize crop. I have found this beneficial to my crops as it has increased the fertility of my soil as the water contains nutrients that enrich the soil, acting as a natural fertilizer. This combination of fish farming and crop irrigation has really improved my agricultural outputs,” he says.
Emurayi Samanga (58), the Programmes Custodian for Zivakwawakabva, says that her organisation is producing clear results in the community as yields are increasing while the land is being sustainably utilised.
“We are encouraging farmers to go back to our traditional ways of farming to keep our soils healthy and fertile. In our community, more and more farmers are shifting from using external inputs and are incrementally adopting integrated farming techniques. From this, we are observing that crop fields treated with organic fertilizers yield better harvests and preserve soil nutrient composition, which is boosting the livelihoods of our communities,” she says.
Shean Mukocheya Simango (51), the founder of Zivakwawakabva Trust says youths like Gideon are being specifically targeted in their programming so that they are able to influence other young farmers because they are the future.
“Youths like Gedion are setting an excellent example for others by encouraging and assisting them in their farming efforts. Gideon is actively training fellow young farmers in integrated and sustainable farming practices that promote environmental health and sustainable livelihoods. His exemplary work has inspired many to learn from him. Our hope is that this will influence the future leaders of tomorrow to protect our heritage and environment through sustainable farming,” she says.
