In the rugged hills of Chikukwa Village, Chimanimani District, real sustainable development is unfolding. Rooted not in laboratories or synthetic chemicals, but in the enduring wisdom of elders and ancestral tradition, this movement is restoring balance to ecosystems and reviving hope among farmers battling an increasingly hostile climate.

Here, in one of Zimbabwe’s most ecologically diverse regions, traditional ecological knowledge systems (TEKS) are not just surviving but are leading the way. For farmers like Douglas Mapau (39) of Mabasa Village, Ward 10, this knowledge has become a lifeline.

Douglas, a member of the Chikukwa Ecological Land Use Organisation (CELUO) (formerly CELUCT) since 2012, once relied on conventional farming methods.

Douglas says year after year, the returns on his farm land diminished, the soil tired, and the challenges increased. Then came the African Fall Armyworm, known locally as mvimvana—a pest so destructive it left trails of devastation in its wake.

Faced with the prospect of losing entire harvests, Douglas and his community turned to those who had weathered storms before; the elders. What they found was not just a remedy, but a powerful reminder of who they were and the wisdom they carried.

“The African Fall Army Worm devastated our fields, but with the help of our elders, we found a way to fight back. The great aunties gathered some of the worms and took them far away to sacred rivers for a traditional ritual which would purge our community of the scourge,” Douglas shares.

In that moment, farming became more than cultivation but it became cultural restoration. Douglas embraced the teachings of his ancestors, blending them with modern agroecological practices. The results have been profound. Revitalized soil, increased biodiversity, and renewed food security have become more pronounced. But more than that, a deep sense of identity and purpose has returned to the land.

“Our ancestors have always taught us to work with nature, not against it. Integrating traditional knowledge with modern agroecological methods can enhance biodiversity and soil health, benefiting not just individual farmers but entire communities across Africa. By keeping these traditions alive, we ensure a sustainable future that honours our past while nurturing the land for generations to come,” he says.

Douglas is not alone in this mission. Stephen Sunguro (38), another farmer from CELUO staying in Kwayedza Village in Ward 10, sees this as a critical moment to ensure the next generation carries the torch.

“Preserving our traditions is vital. We must pass this knowledge to our youth. By keeping these practices alive, communities can foster resilience and sustainability for future generations,” he says.

Across the region, elders are once again becoming teachers, and stories once shared around fires are becoming blueprints for sustainability. The link between tradition and survival has never been more urgent or more clear.

Patience Sithole (58), Programmes Officer for CELUO, has worked closely with these communities and sees first-hand the immense value of these traditional systems.

“These traditional systems are important for our communities. They are passed from generation to generation and they represent our cultural norms. For example, there is a method where people in one of the villages spray women’s urine and fresh cow dung in the crop funnel, and it works so well,” she says.

In Chikukwa, pest management is no longer solely about fighting insects but is about reclaiming a heritage that sees nature not as an enemy, but as an ally. It is about remembering that survival lies not in forgetting the past, but in honoring it.

As the winds of change blow through the mountains of Chimanimani, the farmers of Chikukwa are proving that true resilience is rooted not just in soil but in story, spirit, and tradition. And in doing so, they are not only saving their crops, they are saving their culture.