EnviroPress Reporter

Chirumanzu District Development Coordinator (DDC) Charlton Murove has praised the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural settlement together with 4-H Zimbabwe for capacitating women in rural areas through indigenous climate change adaptation farming trainings.

He said this in Chirumanzu Ward 6 were he was guest of honor during Women in Agriculture Indigenous Conservative Farming Methods Capacity Building training which was organized by 4-H Zimbabwe in partnership with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture Fisheries Water and Rural settlement.

Combined with the 2022 Champion Farmer awards for best conservative women farmer which was won by Sekai Murinye, the event mainly focused on empowering women on conservative farming methods especially at this juncture in time when the nation is experiencing climate change.

“We greatly appreciate efforts towards capacitating of young women in our communities as we stand to benefit from their teachings on indigenous climate change adaptation in farming.

“As a district we have seen great improvement in women economic and leadership empowerment,” said Murove.

Award winner Sekai Murinye applauded the Ministry and 4-H for their initiative.

“So happy to be Champion farmer and I want to thank the organizers for this initiative, because we have benefited a lot from it,” she said.

Speaking after touring Murinye’s farm, District Head Agritex Officer Nobert Masiwa said diversification farming is the modern way farmers can sustain themselves.

“Climate change is a reality but farmers can only adapt through diversified farming as it helps them to have a fall back.

“For example when your maize fails then you fall on your millet and sorghum,” he said.

The event was partnered SeedCo, Empowerbank and other stakeholders.

4-H Executive Director John Muchenje said his organization’s vision is to empower women so that they take active roles in sustainable development.

“Our vision is to see a prosperous nation where young people especially women take an active role in sustainable development. Our programming is targeting vulnerable women in the rural areas, capacitating them on indigenous conservative farming innovations a d ensuring food security.

“Climate change has already affected a lot of farmers and we have taken this initiative with the Ministry of Agriculture, SeedCo, EmpowerBank and other partners.

“The main reason of roping in EmpowerBank is for them to help in capacitating our rural farmers on financial management.”