Chemicals

Svosve Organic Farmers Association (SOFA) seeks to consolidate work, efforts and development objectives expressed on the various projects that intend to be serious participants in conservation of biodiversity through organic farming. SOFA is a community based organization that is active in promoting sustainable livelihoods, community development and environmental management. SOFA has been practicing organic farming since 2004 as a community of farmers. The association through assistance from organic network managed to register as a Community Based Organization in 2012. The community has implemented five projects since its inception and these are herbal gardens, nutrition gardens, kitchen gardens, dry land farming and chili production project for the past five years. There are one hundred and fifty farmers in the SOFA who were participating in different projects. These farmers have learnt some basics in organic farming and have managed to reduce the use of inorganic fertilisers and substitute with organic fertilizers. Farmers within the association are now aware of sustainable environmental conservation and nutrition security and optimum dietary diversity and the importance agro biodiversity and benefits such as improved soil fertility, reduced soil erosion and improved nutrition. A number of horticultural products such as garlic, onions, leaf vegetables, beans, sweet potato, grafted mango and oranges are being produced. Lately, farmers are now producing crops such as groundnuts for peanut butter, honey and indigenous chickens for sale although at very small scale. SOFA has one of its peanut butter products called Chinanzvirwa in the retail shops. In the light of the above context, the gaps that need to be addressed emanated from major problems faced by farmers in Svosve that include difficulties low production, diversity of products and access markets to markets. Promotion of diversity in their crops, up scaling of their current initiatives and sustainable agricultural forms would be the solution. Seed fairs are going to be held for farmer seed exchange programs. There is also lack of diversity in their production levels. Hence there need to integrate organic dry land farming, organic horticulture with aquaculture, apiculture, mushroom production and organic poultry production. There is also no place to coordinate products from different farmers for them to bulk before marketing. Most markets need bulk and diverse products and in this case the products would be coming from many different farmers living some kilometres away from each other. Experience has shown that the marketing and selling of organic produce in the rural areas affect positive economic growth among the farmers as the local community would buy organically produced products because of them being healthy as compared to conventional products. The intention of this proposal is therefore to facilitate members to conserve biodiversity through up-scaling organic farming and integrate with other enterprises and increase production. The project will offer a platform for sustainable management of the environment in Marondera district. Organizations such as Organic Network Forum would develop the capacity of farmers in various aspects of the project activities while Zimbabwe Organic Partners and Promoters Association will take farmers through Participatory Guarantee systems and certification procedures to ensure quality products which meet international standards. In addition a farmer bulking centre is going to be established in Dhirihori and improved production and management through consolidated organic gardens. Other farming enterprises such as organic dry land farming, organic horticulture, aquaculture, apiculture, mushroom production and organic poultry production are going to be implemented.

Zimbabwe