In a bid to promote diversity and conservation of local crop seeds, Scope Malawi, in partnership with PELUM Malawi, The Development Fund, Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy (CEPA), Trocaire, Seed and Knowledge Initiative (SKI) and Brot, hosted the SustainFest festival at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe, bringing together farmers from across the country.
The event provided a platform for farmers practicing agroecology systems to showcase their local seed varieties and products, highlighting the importance of sustaining indigenous food systems.
Addressing the gathering, guest of honour for Lilongwe, Mayor Councillor Esther Sagawa, highlighted the impact of land degradation on climate change and natural disasters. She encouraged Malawians to support local farmers by buying indigenous products. Sagawa also emphasized on the need to support the youth with entrepreneur opportunities in commercial farming as one way of improving the indigenous food varieties as it can also benefit the next generation.
In her remarks, Scope Malawi National Coordinator, Chifundo Khokwa, highlighted the need for farmers to diversify their farming practices, particularly through the use of organic manure. Khokwa says the festival was important because it has given farmers a platform to diversify local indigenous crops and has therefore asked farmers in the country to practice agroecology through local indigenous crops which has proven to be resilient to climate change
"Farmers have the opportunity to change the narrative on climate change challenges, land degradation, and other environmental issues affecting agriculture in the country," Khokwa said.
Chimwemwe Msukwa, advisor of Kakomo Area Development Committee in Misuku, expressed gratitude for the festival, noting that it would benefit farmers by providing a platform to learn from peers from different districts. Msukwa says farmers in the country should embrace the indigenous crops that are resilient to climate change and practice agroecology to restore the degraded land.
Simeon Kawinga, a farmer from Chanthunya, Balaka district, expressed his enthusiasm for the recent Sustainable Food Festival, citing numerous benefits and newfound knowledge.
"I've gained so much from this event," Kawinga said. "I've seen indigenous crops I've never seen before in our area. I'm eager to try them on my farm and orient other farmers."
This year’s Sustainable food festival was cerebrated under the theme “MY SEED, MY FOOD, MY PRIDE". The third SustainFest 2024, drew farmers from all regions of Malawi, showcasing a wide range of indigenous seed varieties, products, promoting agroecology and sustainable agriculture.
