Zimbabwe: a project to implement local seeds

National Context and Challenges

The project operates across three districts in western Zimbabwe: Binga, Hwange, and Lupane. These areas are on the front lines of climate change, suffering from recurrent droughts, low and erratic rainfall, and severe soil degradation.

Over 50% of the local population experiences food insecurity during the lean season. Trapped in a cycle of poverty, these communities depend on subsistence farming reliant on expensive hybrid seeds and chemical inputs that are ill-suited to current climate realities. Furthermore, an overreliance on a small number of staple crops has led to a loss of agricultural biodiversity and impoverished local diets.

An Ambitious Project

The AgrEcoNUS+ project—Agroecological Transition and Community Resilience through Neglected and Underutilized Species—aims to break this vicious cycle. It draws on the extensive experience SWISSAID developed through its “Consumption of Resilient Orphan Crops & Products for Healthier Diets” (CROPS4HD), programme, active across four countries (Chad, Niger, Tanzania, and India) since 2021. Through this foundation, the project delivers a viable, field-tested alternative: agroecology.

The goal is to transition toward traditional, local, highly nutritious, and drought-resistant crops, also known as Neglected and Underutilized Species or NUS (see text box). Rather than remaining dependent on costly commercial seeds, farming communities are supported to regain their autonomy by managing their own farmer-led seed systems.

NUS, Neglected and Underutilized Specie

NUS are species typically native to the environments where they are cultivated, meaning they are better adapted to local conditions and require fewer external inputs like fertilizers. Many NUS thrive in poor soils and arid conditions, making them a vital tool for climate change adaptation. Examples include finger millet, pearl millet, Bambara groundnut, sorghum, and amaranth. Amaranth, for instance, matures in just a few weeks, requires minimal water, and provides rich nutritional value.

The Activities

To ensure deep and sustainable change, the project’s activities are built on an integrated “Push, Policy, Pull” approach:

Production (PUSH): Farmers receive training to adopt diversified agroecological practices. They learn to produce, select, and manage their own high-quality traditional seeds, enhancing the resilience and productivity of their farming systems.
Policy Environment (POLICY): The project advocates for an enabling institutional environment so that farmer-managed seed systems, NUS, and agroecology are formally recognized and supported by public policies.
Market Development (PULL): Producing is not enough; farmers need to sell. The project helps farming families increase their income through strengthened, community-driven value chains. It creates direct producer-consumer networks (territorial markets, food enterprises, tourism), ensuring increased production translates directly into sustainable income.

The Expected Impact

This project places local communities at the heart of the transition:

4,500 smallholder farming households (approximately 22,500 individuals) will directly participate in the project.
Women and youth will be specifically engaged. Women, as the primary custodians of seed and household nutrition, will represent at least 50% of direct participants and leaders.
Economic Development: By the end of the project, an estimated 1,800 producers will have at least 3 additional reliable buyers, and 9 new NUS-based food products will have been developed.
Multiplier Effect: A further 7,500 households will benefit indirectly through peer-to-peer training, Farmer Field Schools, and increased availability of nutritious food in local markets. Finally, marketing and awareness campaigns will reach an estimated 3 million people nationwide.