Empowering voices, cultivating resilience: Farmer Field Schools transform lives in Zimbabwe’s Sebungwe Landscape

In Zimbabwe’s Kariba District, a quiet transformation is taking place driven by knowledge, inclusion, and resilience. Supported by the Embassy of Ireland through UNDP and led by FAO in partnership with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, the ZRBF 2 bridging fund project “Resilience Building in the Sebungwe Landscape” is unlocking the potential of local communities to lead the way in climate-smart agriculture and natural resources management.

Shifting mindsets: From command to collaboration

Simbarashe Kashiri, a young extension officer in Ward 4, Kariba shared how the training changed his outlook. “I initially thought extension work was all about giving orders to farmers,” Simbarashe reflects. “But now I understand the power of facilitation. In the Kujatana FFS group I helped establish, farmers are making their own decisions, and they’re thriving.”
That group, aptly named Kujatana (which means “working together” in the local language), has 88 percent women, and is already reaping the rewards of collaboration. They are cultivating tomatoes and producing organic compost from goat manure using the Bokashi method – a climate-smart practice that enhances soil fertility while promoting food security and sustainable farming.

Simbarashe’s experience is just one among many inspired by the project’s holistic, community-driven approach. Across nine wards in Kariba, 13 AGRITEX officers have been trained in the FFS model, resulting in the establishment of 12 Farmer Field Schools. More than just learning hubs, these schools are becoming spaces of empowerment, experimentation, and collective problem-solving, particularly for women and youth, who are leading the way in building local resilience.

Linking local knowledge with strategic objectives

The FFS approach not only improves local agricultural practices but also aligns with national and global sustainability targets. It supports FAO’s Strategic Framework (2022–2031), which seeks to promote Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment, and a Better Life, leaving no one behind.

“This project contributes directly to FAO’s Strategic Framework by promoting sustainable food systems and inclusive rural transformation through capacity building, climate-smart agriculture, and stakeholder engagement. The adoption of the Farmer Field School approach exemplifies how local innovation and empowerment are essential to achieving resilience and sustainable development,” said Alexander Carr the Resilience Building in the Sebungwe Landscape, Project Coordinator.

The project supports UN SDGs 1, 2, and 10, reinforcing the right to food, gender equality, and decent rural livelihoods. “Particularly by advancing SDG Target 2.4 (sustainable food production systems) and promoting gender-sensitive value chains that create economic opportunities in rural areas,” asserted Obert Maminimini, FAO Crops and Extension Specialist.

From chickens to chilies: Creating climate-smart livelihoods

Through participatory processes involving over 240 farmers, seven climate-smart value chains were identified and analyzed: goats, cattle, indigenous chickens, sorghum, fish, sesame, and chilies. These value chains are being nurtured to enhance food and nutrition security, reduce environmental pressure, and increase household incomes.
The promotion of these value chains reflects the project’s broader vision: to create a landscape of resilience, where ecological conservation and human development go hand in hand.

Alongside community empowerment, the project has laid a strong technical foundation for sustainable development. A high-resolution Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) map was developed using Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, and ecological connectivity for elephants was modelled to guide land planning. These tools are vital for aligning conservation priorities with local livelihoods.

More than 20 institutional stakeholders, including local government, conservation agencies, traditional leaders, and NGOs were engaged in mapping and consultation processes. This level of participation is essential for ensuring community ownership and policy alignment.

Collaboration for long-term impact

The Sebungwe project is not a standalone effort. It builds upon previous work under the EU-funded SWM 2 initiative and integrates FAO’s GEF-7 supported Integrated Landscape Planning Model. Together with partners such as Nyaminyami Rural District Council, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, African Parks, and Peace Parks, the project lays the groundwork for a comprehensive, coordinated resilience-building strategy in Zimbabwe.

In addition, the project’s success in integrating ecological and socio-economic priorities through land use planning, natural resources governance, and value chain development sets the stage for the larger European Union funded Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF) Phase 2 implementation.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.