By Wallace Mawire
The Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Zimbabwe is set to host this year’s annual celebration of Zimbabwe’s traditional seeds and agroecological wonders under the Zimbabwe Seed Sovereignty Programme (ZSSP)’s National Good Seed Festival on 13 September 2024.
The event promises to captivate attendees with a diverse array of local traditional seeds, traditional Zimbabwean foods, vibrant seed markets and engaging dialogues between farmers and agroecology stakeholders.
The festival, traditionally held in the lush and scenic Harare Botanical Gardens, aims to celebrate the rich traditional and agroecological seed culture and heritage, as well as the diverse traditional culinary cultures of Zimbabwe.
According to PELUM-Zimbabwe,this year’s event is being held under the theme “Celebrating the diversity and resilience of Zimbabwe’s foods”.
The organization said that this year, participants can look forward to an exciting line-up featuring traditional seed and food stalls, agroecology products and entertainment.
They said that in addition, the event will showcase a wide range of traditional seeds and food from local farmers providing a unique opportunity for the general public to engage with smallholder farmers under the ZSSP.
Highlights of the festival will include seed market,where attendees will discover and purchase seeds for unique plants and vegetables, with knowledgeable vendors available to offer advice and tips, traditional gourmet food court where people will taste a variety of dishes from local chefs and food vendors offering everything from traditional Zimbabwean seeds, workshops and demonstrations affording participation in interactive sessions on gardening, cooking and sustainable practices, led by experts in the agroecology movement including family-friendly activities offering live entertainment, kids corner and more, making it a perfect outing for families.
PELUM-Zimbabwe said that the 2024 edition of the National Good Seed and Food Festival is designed to foster community engagement, support local agroecology farmers and promote sustainable farming practices as well as building a critical mass in advocating and lobbying for sustainable farming practices.
They said that it will also provide a platform for farmers to showcase their seeds and agroecology products and connect with a wider audience.
PELUM Zimbabwe is part of the Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) network, which is a regional organization dedicated to promoting sustainable land use management and agricultural practices.
Established in Zimbabwe in 1995, PELUM Zimbabwe focuses on empowering local communities to manage their land and resources in an environmentally sustainable way.
