In Zimbabwe, community seed banks are reviving indigenous crops

Smallholder farmers sorting seeds of small grains in Chipinge, Zimbabwe. © FAO

Mutare, Zimbabwe – Zimbabwean farmers are reviving drought-resistant traditional crops through a community seed bank, helping them cope with worsening climate variability. The initiative, rooted in indigenous knowledge, is strengthening food security and offering a safety net against future droughts and floods.

Angeline Garwe monitors smallholder farmers bringing small grain seeds to a community seed bank after harvest in Chipinge, southeastern Zimbabwe.