Administered by the Kunzwana Women’s Association with funding from the Global Environmental Facility(GEFSGP), operating under the auspices of the UNDP, the project will benefit up to 120 women and their families to nurture and cultivate nutritious indigenous vegetables.
These include Nyeve, Tsine, Nyemba, Regusha, Renyunje, Rename, Mupunga, Mhunga, Zviyo and others.
A 5,000 litre water tank, solar pumps, water pipes and garden tools were on display marking the commissioning of three communal gardens to be established in Ward 17. Bimha told guests and stakeholders that every effort was being made to level the playing field between urban dwellers and villages in resettlement areas such Tsunga.
“A decent and productive lifestyle is possible in Zimbabwe when we collaborate with NGOs such as Kunzwana and global partners such as the GEFSGP. Family well-being is at the heart of all developmental processes and is responsible for society's broader objectives, such as poverty reduction, economy-wide productivity and social cohesion,” said Bimha.
Tabeth Murwira , the local councilor, said that in all the 13 villages in her ward 100% basic and primary education enrollment has been achieved. “This shows that women are working; cultivating gardens and selling surplus vegetable produce for the well-being of their families. It is the transitioning to higher education where challenges exist and an unemployment bubble is created. These sponsored gardens will certainly encourage occupational habits among the youths and will reduce the walking distance by women from 10 to three km,” she said.
Dr Emmie Wade, the Executive Director for Kunzwana, said the NGO had been training women and youths in various practical skills for some time. But because of climate change, they had agreed with the local leadership to re-introduce the cultivation of indigenous vegetables.
The project crops propagated through this project will undergo laboratory tests to ensure seed quality and nutritional value for purposes of establishing and managing seed banks. Kunzwana would like to publish information collected while implementing this project as a learning tool for other communities.
The project will also establish woodlots for the conservation of indigenous trees. Kunzwana members will be trained on bio-diversity and the importance of conserving traditional trees, their medicinal uses and practical applications.
Post published in: News