In Southern Africa, a quiet but powerful transformation is taking root. Across dry fields and communal lands, smallholder farmers are breathing new life into agriculture by reclaiming seed sovereignty and embracing agroecology. Through regional trainings and the sharing of indigenous knowledge, communities are regaining control over their food systems — building resilience, deepening solidarity, and sowing the seeds of self-reliance.
In March 2025, this movement found new energy in Lusaka, Zambia, where PELUM Zimbabwe partners under the Seed and Knowledge Initiative (SKI) Community of Practice (CoP) gathered for a cross-border knowledge-sharing exchange. The focus: farmer field schools and seed work — two critical tools being championed by SKI partner, Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT). Using peer learning and practical training, CTDT is empowering local farmers in Zambia to overcome mounting agricultural challenges caused by rising temperatures and persistent droughts.
But the impact of this work is not limited to Zambia. In Zimbabwe, a growing number of farmers are championing similar models — exchanging knowledge, reviving traditional practices, and strengthening agroecological seed systems that have long sustained their communities.
One of the leading voices in this movement is Elizabeth Mpofu (65), a smallholder farmer from the Shashe communal area in Masvingo. A respected member of the Zimbabwe Smallholder Organic Farmers’ Forum (ZIMSOFF) and the African Women Collaborative for Healthy Food Systems, Elizabeth has become a living archive of traditional seed knowledge, farmer rights advocacy, and ecological farming.
“Integrating sustainable practices is essential for our future. (As farmers) we must harness traditional, cultural and ecological knowledge we’ve gained from such communities of practice and share it with our own local communities. We have been conducting country to country exchange visits and trainings to this effect,” says Elizabeth.
Having participated in numerous regional learning programs, Elizabeth reflects on a time when knowledge like this was scarce — and the consequences were visible.
“The work being done is commendable. Specific focus on agroecological practices and the promotion of indigenous seeds aligns perfectly with our efforts in Zimbabwe to promote sustainable food systems and knowledge sharing,” she says.
These words echo through her community, where she now leads training programs that emphasize seed saving, traditional farming, and community-based knowledge exchange.
Patience Shumba (47), Programmes Officer at ZIMSOFF, reinforces the importance of this work.
“Farmer field schools we work with advocate for adoption of agroecology because farmers are directly affected by the negative impacts of human action on ecology,” says Patience.
She notes that these schools are most successful when built on trust, collective ownership, and a shared vision.
“I was impressed by how responsible the farmers are — they treat the farmer field school and their seed banks as their own, ensuring food and seed security,” she adds.
Elizabeth’s influence stretches beyond her own farm. Her lived experience and leadership have sparked a culture of integration, encouraging other farmers to embrace sustainability.
“Empowering our farmers through education will enhance their capacity to adopt these sustainable techniques such as seed saving,” she says.
Her work is also inspiring a new generation of agroecological leaders. Rutendo Muzipasi (34), an Agroecology and Programme Assistant with Earthlore in Bikita, says her involvement in farmer field school models has been deeply transformative.
“My experiences with farmer field school approaches has profoundly impacted me,” she says.
Now, Rutendo is taking that inspiration home — literally.
“This initiative has inspired me to enhance my agroecological practices in our community by blending syntropic farming from Kanangwa’s farm with natural farming techniques from Kasisi. At the organizational level, I will encourage the development of community seed banks and focus on improving seed multiplication to preserve and increase original varieties,” she says.
Together, these stories — of Elizabeth, Patience, Rutendo, and countless others — paint a picture of a movement that is local and regional, practical and visionary. One where knowledge is shared across borders, seeds are saved for the next generation, and farmers become the architects of a food system that nourishes both land and life.
