Smallholder farmers hailed for protecting seed heritage

DUMISANI Kutywayo, the director for Research and Specialist Services Department in the Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, has commended smallholder farmers for their role in sustaining the nation’s food systems.

Addressing farmers at the National Botanic Gardens in Harare during the Seed and Food Festival recently, Kutywayo stressed out the importance of farmer-managed seeds systems, describing them as the backbone to seed and food sovereignty the only path to ensuring food and nutrition security amid climate shocks.

“These farmer-managed seed systems have sustained us as Zimbabweans and Africans for generations, producing safe, healthy and nutritious traditional Zimbabwean food,” he said.

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