Shashe Agro Ecology School Farmer to Farmer Training and Extension Methodology Case Study

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Roy Heath
5 years ago
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1 Shashe Agro Ecology School Farmer to Farmer Training and Extension Methodology Case Study Land and Agriculture Conference organized by ActionAid Association (new entity of ActionAid India) and the Centre for Informal Sector and Agrarian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India on Jan 28-29, 2014 in the Committee Room, School of Social Sciences -1, JNU, New Delhi. Presentation by Nelson Mudzingwa (ZIMSOFF)

2 ZIMSOFF is an organization of small scale farmers, the organization is farmer led, and all positions are taken by farmers. A member to the Eastern and Southern Africa Smallholder Farmers Forum (ESAFF). Member to La Via Campesina (LVC) and the current official host organization for the International Operational Secretariat (IOS)for LVC.

3 ZIMSOFF Vision and Mission Vision Improved livelihoods of organized and empowered smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe practicing sustainable and viable ecological agriculture. Mission Statement To strengthen and expand a dynamic alliance of Smallholder Farmer Organizations promoting a movement towards ecological and organic farming, processing and marketing that improves the lives of smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe

4 ZIMSOFF membership Eastern Cluster Central Cluster Northern Cluster Western Cluster

5 ZIMSOFF structure Annual Genera Meeting National Council Board of Trustees National Coordination Cluster Coordination SFO Coordination Group/Club Coordination Households

6 Location of Shashe Agro Ecology School

7 Concept on Endogenous Development We believe that development that is initiated from within the local communities cosmovision; building on their local resources; enhancing the in-situ development of their local spiritual and technological knowledge systems is endogenous. Our activities are based on our control of the development process and we are acknowledging the interests of each participating smallholder farmer or groups. We have identified development niches that are based on the characteristics of our local situation and we are optimizing local resources through selective use of external resources. The benefits that include food and income are kept in the local area to support our socio-economic needs.

8 Thematic areas for Endogenous Development Agro ecology Bio cultural diversity conservation Local technology development Traditional health delivery systems Culture and Cosmovision

9 Our values on Agro ecology It is a social and political process that struggles for the integral recovery of food sovereignty and genuine agrarian reform Its integration of scientific advances with the traditional knowledge of our people The integration of humanity, in harmony and equilibrium, with nature The defense of local and traditional seeds

10 School Administration and Coordination Center

11 Example of the 12 Centers of Excellence

12 Our experiences with Farmer to Farmer training We are a Platform for improving decision making capacity of our members, stimulating local innovation for agro ecology and sustainable agriculture. We take the leading role to make choices in the methods of production through discovery based approach. We are a groups of farmers who meet regularly during the course of the growing seasons to exchange experiences and experiment with new production options.

13 Rain making ritual

14 Women participating in training and decision making

15 Integrating livestock for various agro ecological benefits

16 Prioritizing manure making with livestock for soil fertilization

17 Increasing crop diversity for nutrition and income

18 Challenges The school is located in agro ecological region IV that a very dry area receiving an average of 400mm of rainfall per year. Dryland agriculture has failed sometimes due to the current droughts. Conventional agriculture is the more dominant and powerful alternative to food production at this stage, it is pushing for an industrial agricultural approach, which over the years has vested more and more power and profit into the hands of fewer and fewer corporations Of recent the Government of Zimbabwe has committed to implementing the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development program (CAADP) which is a threat to local solutions towards food sovereignty.

19 Our future plans Implement programs based on the local resources available at each site, both human and local material. This is in order to reduce dependency on external actors and resources as much as possible, in order to ensure sustainability. Start with the simplest solution: leave the most complex and costly for later. Advance gradually and diversify our actions, according to requirements and possibilities of each family of each smallholder farmer organization and each community. Rescue, evaluate and recognize and promote local knowledge, while trying to enrich it with technical scientific knowledge. Respect the culture and customs of the family and locality. Consider the family as the center and principle objective of the process of implementation, as the family is the unit that is always on the farm.

20 Future plans continue: Promote and give space to smallholder farmer leaders in order to continually promote the assimilation of good results on the part of smallholder farmers and other actors. Strive towards equitable gender relations. This raises the need to promote greater participation of women in terms of agro ecological practices and also to improve the status of women. Ensure horizontal relations of different actors and work on vertical and horizontal integration during facilitation, as well as the transmission of knowledge and best practices. All times conserving smallholder farmer leadership. I THANK YOU

Consultation Process

Consultation Process In preparation of the World Development Report 2008, more than 20 consultative meetings were held with academics, policymakers, producer organizations and civil society organizations.