Suko Seed Blessing ritual revived in Mazwimba, Venda, after 40 years “Seeds hold great cultural significance by representing new beginnings and the promise of generous harvests. The purpose of this sacred seed blessing ceremony is to invoke, inform and request the ancestral spirits to bless the seed, to process the…
For the first time, EarthLore Foundation’s annual South African Seed and Food Fair will be held in Venda. Limpopo, rather than in Mpumalanga province. The event will take place on Wednesday 11th October, from 9h00 to 16h30, in Mazwimba village, Vhembe district, in Venda. It is sure to be a…
Watch this inspiring visual journey showcasing EarthLore’s work since 2015 that focuses on seed, soil and culture – the very heart of EarthLore’s work.
A warm welcome to the 2023 Bikita Seed and Food Fair, which takes place today, 12 September, at Chamas Communal Garden, in Gangare Village, Bikita, Zimbabwe. This is the most important event on EarthLore’s calendar of celebrations of the Year of Millets. The theme of the Seed Fair is “Our…
By Natasha Zvemaruwa My first encounter with millet soon after arriving at the Turugare homestead, Bikita, Zimbabwe, was a deliciously bitter cup of maheu, a popular non-alcoholic beverage made, in this instance, with fermented millet and water. Simple, refreshing and highly nutritious! The full bowl of nyemba beans and the…
Induna Sifiso Zulu will be one of two South African farmers attending the Farmers’ Rights multi-stakeholder seminar on 25 October 2022 in Lusaka, Zambia, followed by other opportunities to engage and learn from farmers from several African countries. He is accompanied by Thombithini Ndwandwe, from Biowatch and Mashudu Takalani, EarthLore’s programme facilitator. The event is coordinated by the Geography Department at the University of Cape Town and other Seed and Knowledge Initiative (SKI) partners, including EarthLore. It is part of the Farmers’ Rights campaign that links together seed fairs taking place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia through a virtual caravan.
Sifiso Zulu, in addition to being a traditional leader who is proud of his isiSwathi culture and traditions and understands the value and power of reviving them, is a committed and successful farmer using traditional seeds and traditional farming practices augmented by agroecology. He has been on several learning exchanges to other farming communities, and always returns to his home in Elukwatini, Mpumalanga, with seeds and knowledge to share. He was particularly inspired by his trip to the Bikita farming communities in Zimbabwe, in 2019.
EarthLore’s work focuses on rebuilding soils that have been damaged for decades through the use of poisonous chemical fertilisers and pesticides. The work also involves effective water harvesting techniques and the rehabilitation and protection of the broader landscape, including sacred natural sites. This approach helps to mitigate climate change and contributes to the general well-being of the planet.
The current campaign for Farmers’ Rights and the growing agroecology movement is fortunate to have the involvement of Induna Zulu who is young, energetic, enthusiastic and committed to a sustainable local food system that benefits local farmers, local communities, and boosts the local economy.
This recent interview with Induna Zulu clarifies his position on Farmers’ Rights and the importance of traditional seeds to farmers and farming communities. It was videoed at EarthLore’s annual Elukwatini Seed and Food Fair on 6 October 2022. He makes it clear that access to and sharing of traditional seeds is an ancient practice that dates back centuries and that current attempts by seed companies and governments to control traditional seeds will not succeed because farmers across the world are standing together and becoming a strong force to be reckoned with.
Mashudu Takalani, EarthLore’s programme facilitator in South Africa, will be attending the multi-stakeholder Farmers’ Rights symposium on 25th and 26th October in Lusaka, Zambia. The event is coordinated by the Geography Department at the University of Cape Town and other Seed and Knowledge Initiative (SKI) partners, including EarthLore. The symposium is part of a Farmers’ Rights campaign, driven by our SKI partners, that links together seed fairs taking place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia through a virtual caravan. Unfortunately, it has not been possible for farmers to travel to all the venues and attend the different events, but they have been linking with each other via WhatsApp and other social media platforms. Farmers from all four countries will be attending the symposium in Lusaka where they will read statements that farmers have compiled addressing Farmers’ Rights and access to their traditional seeds. An objective of the campaign and the symposium is to increase awareness of the important role of small-scale farmers practicing agroecology and their vital contribution to an equitable, fair, and healthy food system.
This video has been narrated, edited and produced by Mashudu Takalani.
24 September is Heritage Day in South Africa. A vital heritage that is often overlooked is the indigenous, /traditional and local seed inherited from elders who carefully selected, saved and shared seed for food crops and traditional medicines over centuries. These robust seeds are well-adapted to local environments and are…
Recuperation of lost indigenous seeds reawakens the cultural memory of the forgotten meals, rekindles hope of continuity, and gets communities working together again. Women’s prowess in seed knowledge, selection, saving practices as well as knowledge of indigenous seed storage structures come out through dialogues, an approach EarthLore uses in their…
Mashudu Takalani and Khumotso Kock from EarthLore participated in a 6-week on-line video training workshop, meeting once a week from 1 October to 5 November 2020. It was run by the Seed and Knowledge Initiative (SKI). Here is their account of making their first video:Continue reading
