00:06The dry and arid landscape of Buhera in eastern Zimbabwe has long tested the resilience of farmers.
00:13Climate change has brought even more challenges.
00:17However, a simple community-led initiative is helping them overcome their difficulties.
00:23The Muti Usna Azita Seed Bank, with 285 members, stores traditional small grain seeds that farmers can access during hard
00:32times.
00:33The concept is rooted in indigenous farming traditions where families carefully selected and preserved their best seeds for future planting.
00:46If we store the seed at our homesteads, they are susceptible to pests and degradation due to the elements.
00:54But the way they are stored in the bank protects them from damage.
01:02Even if we suffer consecutive droughts, we won't be stranded.
01:07We can keep withdrawing seed from the bank and then replenish the stocks once we have recovered.
01:16The seed packs also act as a business card. On each jar is the name and contact number of the
01:22farmer who produced and preserved these seeds,
01:25allowing other farmers to buy directly from them.
01:29That creates an additional income stream for the farmer, but allows these sturdier seed varieties to spread to other communities.
01:39Community members have also established a nursery dedicated to indigenous tree species, helping restore biodiversity while creating another source of
01:48income.
01:51A lot of our indigenous trees are cut down to make way for fields and homesteads.
01:56We are trying to reintroduce them because they have many medicinal benefits and produce fruit which enriches nutrition.
02:07Traditional grains are becoming increasingly important as the weather becomes less predictable.
02:12They have a better chance of surviving even during dry spells.
02:15They have also a better chance of surviving in the heat. So they are better in terms of tolerance.
02:22But preserving the seed is only part of the challenge.
02:25The knowledge behind producing, selecting and storing it must also be protected.
02:31To counter this, they have called for comprehensive documentation of the age-old traditional practice as a way to preserve
02:38knowledge, culture and build climate resilience.
02:42In that way, their community can remain vibrant long into the future, regardless of what climate change or other challenges
02:50might bring.
02:50LAUGHTER
02:52Lione B comme à b
02:54You
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