Strengthening Community-Based On-Farm Conservation & Sustainable Use of Crop Diversity in Semi-Arid Zambezi-Gwembe Valley of Zambia

IMPROVING FOOD SECURITY AND THE livelihoods of the Zambezi-Gwembe valley resource-poor farmers and farming communities is the objective of this BSF project. This ultimate objective is being accomplished through the sustainable management and conservation of sorghum, pearl millet, cowpea, beans, sweet potato and cassava, which are crucial for the dietary needs and livelihoods of local communities and the development of new improved and locally adapted crop varieties. 

A strategic program has been developed on priority landraces for on-farm Participatory Plant Breeding, based on farmers’ knowledge and needs vis-à-vis PGRFA. Farmers and breeders are evaluating genebank accessions and local varieties in on-farm plots, selecting the ones exhibiting preferable traits and developing new landraces of crop varieties.

A series of farmers’ field days, seed diversity fairs have been organized to facilitate the exchange of information, good practices and available seeds for sustainable agricultural practices. More than 1000 farmers and trainers have formed Farmers’ Clubs and Committees for conserving and using crop diversity, sharing and disseminating knowledge and participating in training and capacity building sessions.

Training of trainees on germplasm characterization tools for the target crops has been conducted with over 600 farmers, including hands-on practical training on recording phenotypic traits of sorghum, bean, cassava and sweet potato. These training of trainees will be replicated at other project sites to promote on-farm PGRFA conservation and sustainable use.

• Development of new landrace-crop varieties
• Elaboration of crop lists & documentation of indigenous knowledge
• Development of new crop material & its integration in farming systems
• Training of Trainees & restoration of local seed systems