22/03/2023

Field Visit to Benefit-sharing Fund Project Sites

Harare, Zimbabwe, 21 March 2023 – Visiting officials from Italy and the FAO International Treaty are in Zimbabwe this week, meeting Zimbabwean officials and visiting farmers in the fields to see the on-the-ground impacts of projects supported by the International Treaty’s Benefit-sharing Fund (BSF).

“We are pleased to be here in Zimbabwe to visit genebanks and farmers’ associations that have been involved in projects supported by the International Treaty’s Benefit-sharing Fund,” said Mario Marino of the International Treaty at a Press Briefing held at the Zimbabwean Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development in Harare this morning.

Zimbabwe is part of a 3-country BSF project, also involving Malawi and Zambia, which is helping farmers grow drought tolerant crops, such as millets, and boost biodiversity in their fields. The project aims at increasing nutritious food crops growing in farmers’ fields, while honing their skills in managing the conservation of their crop seeds.

“Millets fit very well in our bid to diversify our cropping systems and enhance biodiversity, whilst ensuring food and nutrition self-sufficiency and the attainment of strategic Development Goal 2 of zero hunger,” said Vangelis Peter Haritatos, Deputy Minister for Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development for Zimbabwe, during this morning’s meeting with the visiting delegation.

“To reach the Zero hunger target and address future challenges, namely climate change and global food security, plant genetic resources for food and agriculture are an important instrument,” said Ignazio Verde of CREA, the Italian research organization that falls under the supervision of the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests.

FAO is also leading celebrations of 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM), bringing attention to the many advantages of millets, including nutritionally and in terms climate resilience. This week’s visit to Zimbabwe includes a special event on the IYM on 23 March 2023, with a keynote address by Zimbabwe’s Minister for Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, the Honorable Anxious Jongwe Masuka, and a presentation by International Treaty Secretary, Kent Nnadozie.

“The (Zimbabwean) government has declared traditional grains (millets) as strategic crops because of their drought tolerance that makes them fit well in our semi-arid regions of Zimbabwe,” said Deputy Minister Haritatos. “Traditional grains… sorghum, finger millet and pearl millet, are also being included in the government programme of climate proofing our agriculture, known as ‘Pfumvudza/ Intwasa,’” he added.

The BSF supports agricultural programs in developing countries, and helps connects local communities to the larger global community. The Fund, which has supported 80 projects in 67 developing countries, to date, operates with the support of donors, including Italy, Norway and the European Union.

The International Treaty of the Food and Agriculture Organization works with farmers and policy-makers to save, share and take care of the seeds and other plant material that are needed to feed the world.

@PlantTreaty

#ItAllStartsWithTheSeed #CropDiversity #Millets #IYM23