Shining PORETO farmers head to world tourism expo

BY STEVE EPHRAEM 

CHIMANIMANI – A new chapter has opened for smallholder farmers producing organic food in Chimanimani. This was highlighted during the official opening of the Good Food, Seed and Music Festival, held on August 20, 2025 at Chakohwa High School.

The festival ran under the theme “Nurturing Our Seeds, Reviving Our Heritage.”

In his keynote address, the Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza who was represented by a director in his office, Mr Rubaya pledged to promote leading agroecological farmers.

“I would like to tell you that the farmers who win at today’s event will be endorsed to cook during the Sanganai Hlanganani Kumbanani World Tourism Expo where tourists from all over the world shall be meeting.

“There will be the First Lady’s Gastronomy Hub, where organic food such as that exhibited here will be cooked. I will ask PORETO to fully support their participation,” he said.

The minister further urged farmers to continue producing traditional seeds, emphasising that they remain an important source of healthy food. Hosting Chief Mutambara, Chief Mutema of Chipinge and Director, Research Services Department, ARID Directorate, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Dr Claid Mujaju graced the occasion.

PORETO currently has 73 clubs, bringing together more than 4,000 farmers from 13 wards in Chimanimani who grow indigenous seeds using agroecological methods.