Return to traditional seed keeping: Earthlore Foundation

BY STEVE EPHRAEM

BIKITA: At Bikita Seed and Food Festival held at Kumboedza Garden at Masasire Ward 19 in Bikita East, Zimbabwe, held under the theme “Year of the Millets,” that took place on August 22, Earthlore Foundation gave a very powerful message of not incesting with seed.

Gertrude Pswarayi-Jabson, a Custodian for the Earthlore Foundation, addressed the crowd, urging a return to traditional methods of growing and storing seeds. She explained that the sacred relationship between people and seed is broken when modern practices replace time-honored traditions.

“Our mothers used to grow traditional seed and store it in granaries. They would go to the granaries and communicate with the seed. Today people are doing incest when they keep seed indoors where they also sleep. Seed belongs to the granaries. Once we return to basics, our parents who are long gone will be happy,” she said.

The Bikita festival drew more than 400 attendees, including delegates from South Africa, local partners, funders Oak Foundation Zimbabwe and Chief Masasire.

A major highlight was the display of a rare millet variety, known locally as Svoboda (barnyard millet), which stood out among the exhibitions focused on celebrating and revival of traditional millet varieties.