Food Security • In Focus

(Adam Finck photo)

"Study your soils, seek advice and be committed," advised Edison Siziba, one of the first teacher-farmers in Zvishavane.

 

 

 

 

 

Farmer Innovations

In Zimbabwe's Zvishavane district, during the 2002-2003 growing season, 100 farmers employed new, innovative techniques that dramatically increased — essentially doubled — their maize yields.

  • Compared to the previous year, their per-acre yields increased by 81 percent.
  • And during 2004, compared to their non-innovating neighbors, they produced twice as much per acre.
  • Most exciting, the innovations were — not scientific discoveries imported from academia or abroad — but ingenious, simple and affordable techniques created by the more successful of Zvishavane's own farmers.

Africare identified those farmers and facilitated peer teaching through demonstrations, farm visits, ongoing work groups and a Web site promoting "the farmer creativity and innovations approach." "Study your soils, seek advice and be committed," advised Edison Siziba, one of the first teacher-farmers in Zvishavane. Africare went on to increase the number of growers involved and broaden the project's focus to include market linkage.

 

Back to Food Security • In Focus index >>

 

(Updated, Dec. 19, 2007)