INCREASE GUMBO
MIRROR REPORTER

MWENEZI – Three hundred farmers attended the 2024 edition of the Food and Seed Festival held at Neshuro Business Centre in Mwenezi from Tuesday to Wednesday last week.
The objective of the event which is organised by Mwenezi Development Training Centre (MDTC) is to offer farmers a platform to share and exchange knowledge on seed varieties that do well in the semi-arid region of Mwenezi.
Pellum Association sponsored the event and the theme was; Celebrating the diversity and resilience of Zimbabwean foods.
MDTC director, Promise Makoni said farmers who grew traditional grains this year had something to smile about despite the devastating El Nino induced drought. She said all of them harvested something.
She also noted the fact that attendance at the festival had increased from 80 to 300 farmers in the last few years.
Taringana Makiwa, Chivi District Crop and Livestock Officer was the guest of honour.
Makiwa said the event encourages farmers to grow traditional grains which are suitable for the district climatic conditions.
“This event encourages the growing and consumption of small grains. Here in Mwenezi the traditional grains grow well because of the climatic conditions,” said Makiwa.
“Mwenezi is one of the districts that are hard hit by perennial drought due to erratic rainfall patterns and most parts of Mwenezi were affected this year.
However farmers who grew traditional grains had something to smile about,” said Makoni.
Mwenezi Assistant District Development Coordinator (DDC), Martin Vunganai said farmers should continue growing small grain crops because of the area’s climate.