A new project aimed at building the resilience of communities in Chimanimani District, Zimbabwe, to climate change has been launched. The Building adaptive capacity of vulnerable communities to climate change in Chimanimani District project, implemented by Development Aid from People to People Zimbabwe (DAPPZ) in partnership with Civil Society in Development (CISU) through UFF-Humana, will target 1,000 smallholder farmers and their families in wards 13 and 21 in Chimanimani District.
The project seeks to promote climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry, and biodiversity, as well as strengthen the transformative capacities of the community and local authorities to adapt to climate change. It will also enhance market linkages for smallholder farmers and promote evidence-based advocacy and cross-learning among stakeholders.
Chimanimani District is one of the areas most vulnerable to the devastating impacts of climate change in Zimbabwe. The district has experienced a surge in climate-related disasters, including Cyclones Idai and Freddy, floods, and droughts, which have inflicted severe damage to infrastructure, agricultural livelihoods, and human settlements.
The project is expected to contribute to strengthening the partners’ efforts to build adaptive capacity to climate change among the local population, strengthen their resilience to climate shocks, and enhance the community’s advocacy abilities.
“We are committed to supporting vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe to adapt to the impacts of climate change,” said DAPP Zimbabwe Programs Director Ruth Makumbe. “This project is a testament to our partnership with CISU through UFF Humana and our shared commitment to creating a positive impact in the lives of smallholder farmers and their families”.
The project is funded by Civil Society in Development (CISU) and is expected to run for 24 months.
My name is Varaidzo Makotose and I am a 63-year-old widowed lady with six children, three of whom are adults and three still in school. I reside in Ward 12, Chivi District, Masvingo Province, an area that is naturally dry as it falls in natural Region 4. Despite the challenges of dry climatic conditions in Chivi, I have always been fascinated by farming as a business. In 2021, I enrolled in Farmers’ Clubs Chivi being financially supported by GAIA USA to increase my knowledge. I participated in climate-smart agriculture practices, financial literacy and market linkages facilitated by DAPP in collaboration with AGRITEX.
DAPP supported me and other smallholder farmers with smart agriculture training and then supplied us with garden inputs start-up packs. I started applying concepts like mulching, organic manure, crop rotation and natural pesticides which improved my garden productivity significantly. Before, I used to sell a maximum of 10kgs of vegetables per week which has now grown significantly to 60kg realizing $60 monthly income.
I sell vegetables to walk-in customers at the garden and sometimes put up stall at Chivi growth point during open local market sales days. I have started discussing with Chibi and Berejena boarding high schools to supply them with vegetables.
By diversifying my crops, I have reduced dependence on a single crop and increased resilience to market fluctuations. With my profits, I am now able to pay my children’s school fees on time and purchase extra food items like cooking oil, sugar and supplementary mealie-meal since our 2023-2024 field crop production was affected by cyclone El Nino-induced drought.
My name is Simba Mboma and I am a 48-year-old farmer from Svondo village in Chivi District, Zimbabwe. Throughout my life, I always practised subsistence farming, where I grew crops only for household consumption with barely anything to sell. However, I always desired to generate extra income but lack of knowledge and skills held me back. As the breadwinner of my family, I would take on piece jobs in my community to supplement my income averaging $60 a month which was not adequate to support my family.
My life changed when I enrolled in Farmers’ Club Chivi in September 2021 where I received training on smart agriculture and its three principles: potholing, mulching and crop rotation. I implemented these techniques in my 1ha field and 0.1ha garden and also substituted chemical fertilizers with organic manure from my Chinese, vermi and heap composts on my pieces of land. I started with 900 tomato plants in my garden and realised an income of about $600usd translating to a profit of $400 after subtracting input costs. This year, I expanded my garden land from 0.1 to 0.2 hectares and planted 2,000 cabbage heads using capital of $400 and I am anticipating a minimum yield worth USD 1,000. Despite the challenges posed by Cyclone El Nino-induced drought, I am confident in my ability to provide for my family.
My garden crop production increased as I also leveraged the symbiosis between crops and livestock by using animal manure for my crops. I also started producing seasonal vegetables like onions out of season to capitalize on market supply gaps in my community which helped me increase my income and profits. I sell these my produces to walk-in customers and nearby schools. I have already started to benefit an improved standard of living for my household as we now access improved food and nutrition as well as afford other services like education and health.
Despite the challenges posed by Cyclone El Nino-induced drought, I’m confident in my ability to provide for my family’s nutrition, food and income security through farming. My success is a testament to the impact of DAPP’s initiatives, which have empowered me with the skills and knowledge to thrive in sustainable agriculture. By sharing my experiences and expertise, I hope to inspire others to adopt climate-resilient farming methods, boost their yields and improve their livelihoods. Together, we can build a more food-secure and sustainable future for our communities.
On May 14, DAPP Zimbabwe participated in the International Day of Families commemorations in Dotito, Mashonaland Central Province. Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprise Development, the guest of honour at the event emphasized the importance of communities working together to address the effects of climate change for the benefit of families.
Gracing our exhibition tent, Minister Mutsvangwa learned of DAPP Zimbabwe’s engagements with communities through initiatives that address global warming and climate change issues affecting families. We showcased some of our initiatives which include Farmer’s Clubs, From Communal to Commercial (C to C) models, and our efficient Firewood Saving Cook project.
The commemoration themed “Families and Climate Change” which is aligned with our activities on information sharing and community engagements through awareness campaigns on climate mitigation and adaptation measures particularly in hard-to-reach places.
Also, in attendance at the ceremony were representatives from the government, public and private sectors, as well as members from the communities. Representing DAPP were members from all our projects in Mashonaland Central, namely: Hope Bindura, Child Aid Bindura/Shamva, From Communal to Commercial (C to C), Ponesai Vanhu Technical College, Frontline Institute, Park Estate, and Ponesai Vanhu Children’s Home.
Throughout the year, we made significant strides, particularly on pressing concerns such as global warming, climate change, and cholera epidemics. Our people-centered approach has not only produced excellent results, but it has also generated long-term collaboration with local partners, government officials, and other key stakeholders.
