As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, environmental degradation, and social inequality, it has become increasingly clear that our current food system is unsustainable.
The dominant industrial agriculture model, characterised by monoculture farming, heavy chemical use, and long-distance transportation, is a significant contributor to these problems.
In contrast, agroecology offers a promising pathway to sustainable food system transformation.
By building momentum on agroecology across the board, including educating youths from the grassroots level, we can cultivate a more just, equitable, and environmentally conscious food system.
Agroecology is an approach to agriculture that prioritises the well-being of the entire ecosystem, including the soil, water, biodiversity, and human communities. It involves using locally adapted crops, minimising external inputs, and promoting ecological interactions to build resilience and fertility.
By adopting agroecological practices, farmers can improve soil health, increase crop diversity, and reduce their reliance on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.
However, agroecology is not just a set of farming practices; it is also a social and political movement. It seeks to challenge the dominant industrial agriculture model and promote a more equitable distribution of resources and power.
By supporting small-scale farmers, particularly women and marginalised communities, agroecology can help to build more just and inclusive food systems.
Last month I had the privilege to visit Shashe with the Zimbabwe SmallHolder Organic Farmers Forum (Zimsoff), an organisation that has been offering technical support staff to steer the ongoing process and just guide them and provide technical support where necessary.
Smallholder farmers in the Shashe area of Masvingo province were familiarised with innovative agroecology interventions, premised on harnessing nature’s goods and services while minimising adverse environmental impacts and improving farmer-consumer connectivity, knowledge co-creation, and inclusive relationships among food system actors.
Elizabeth Mpofu (63), one of the founding members of the Shashe Agroecology School, said in 2016, she was chosen to be the special ambassador for the International Year of Forces by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation.
“During my term of office, I had an opportunity to visit many countries where La Via Campesina had its members and La Via Campesina had that momentum of coming up with agroecology schools where farmers come together and share their experiences, their challenges, and also come up with strategies on how to adapt to climate change,” Mpofu said.
“This is how we also thought it was also important for us to form this agroecology school in Zimbabwe where we gather ourselves there, the rest of the surrounding communities and others who are also coming from far away to come and exchange ideas to see how best we can adapt to climate change.”
Shashe was formed by formerly landless peasants, who engaged in a two-year land occupation before being awarded the land through the government’s land reform programme.
As in the other clusters, the Shashe Endogenous Development Organisation is particularly interested in training other farmers and enhancing a community-based and horizontal learning system.
Hundreds of families are connected, sharing the knowledge gained from their own experience. The initiative was formed to teach women and youths to self-feed themselves or to work for themselves through agriculture using the resources they have at their disposal.
They have more than 100 people that they have taught to be self -sustainable.
In the Shashe farming area, smallholder farmers grow a variety of food crops, including grains, cereals, legumes, vegetables, fruit trees and medicinal plants.
They also rear livestock, including cows, sheep, goats, pigs and chickens.
Despite its many benefits, agroecology faces significant challenges in gaining widespread acceptance. The industrial agriculture lobby is powerful, and many policymakers and consumers remain skeptical about the viability of agroecological approaches. Moreover, the transition to agroecology requires significant changes in farming practices, market structures, and consumer behavior.
By nurturing a new generation of agroecological advocates, we can catalyse a ripple effect of change that reaches beyond the confines of individual farms and communities. As these young leaders emerge, they can influence policy decisions, shape research agendas, and inspire their peers to join the movement, ultimately building a critical mass of support for agroecological transitions.
To build momentum on agroecology, it is essential to educate youths from the grassroots level. By engaging young people in agroecological practices and principles, we can inspire a new generation of farmers, activists, and leaders to drive change in the food system. This can involve initiatives such as school gardens, youth-led farming projects, and agroecology training programs.
Moreover, we need to build a broader coalition of support for agroecology, encompassing farmers, consumers, policymakers, and civil society organiwations. This requires raising awareness about the benefits of agroecology, advocating for policy changes that support agroecological practices, and developing market incentives for sustainable agriculture.
In conclusion, agroecology offers a powerful pathway to sustainable food system transformation. By building momentum on agroecology across the board, including educating youths from the grassroots level, we can cultivate a more just, equitable, and environmentally conscious food system. It is time to seize this opportunity and work towards a future where agroecology is the norm, not the exception.
- Gary Gerald Mtombeni is a journalist based in Harare. He writes here in his own personal capacity. For feedback Email garymtombeni@gmail.com/ call- +263778861608