Zimbabwe, Chimanimani Conservation Farming Project, #2245-21 (Year 2 of 3)
| Lead Member: |
United Church of Canada |
| Country: |
Zimbabwe |
| Implementing Partners: |
Christian Care Zimbabwe |
| Budget: |
$181,604 |
| Time Period: |
October 2010 – September 2011 (Year 2 of 3) |
United Church of Canada is supporting Christian Care Zimbabwe with a conservation farming program to be carried out in five wards of Chimanimani district characterized by severe dry spells. The second year of the three year project will include an additional hundred willing and well capacitated farmers. Introducing conservation farming as an alternative practice to the conventional farming practices will contribute towards sustainable food production systems that help address the problem of low productivity. The project aims at increasing production from less than half a ton per hectare up to 3 tons per hectare for maize and other cereal crops. Sustainability of conservation farming is seen by its capacity to improve soil structure, soil fertility, and water retention and prevent soil erosion. The project will also introduce crop rotations of cereals with legumes which help enrich the soils. Conservation farming will be closely twinned with environmentally friendly practices such as land and bush/forest land management and environmental education which will help address the poor land and water management practices that have resulted in deforestation, soil erosion and loss of soil fertility. The project will also address shortages of seed by encouraging the farmers to engage in open pollinated variety seed multiplication and the establishment of community seed banks.
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