By Wallace Mawire
The Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Zimbabwe will on 18 and 19 September 2026 host the National Seed Fair and Food Festival at the Botanical Gardens in Harare.
PELUM Zimbabwe said the event will draw a diverse array of stakeholders from across the country, including representatives from Government, smallholder farmer communities, civil society organisations, embassies, academia, research institutions, the private sector and strategic funding partners, among others.
According to PELUM Zimbabwe, the fair will serve as a platform for fostering knowledge sharing and collaborative efforts among like-minded organisations from throughout the country.
Held under the theme, “It’s Our Life: Safeguarding Indigenous Seeds and Food Diversity,” the food festival is aimed at raising awareness and shifting mindsets towards Zimbabwe’s traditional seeds and foods, while strengthening farmer-led and farmer-managed seed and food systems.
PELUM Zimbabwe said the event will showcase the richness of Zimbabwe’s local food cultures and provide a platform for food culture enthusiasts, stakeholders and policymakers to engage in dialogue on the country’s food and seed heritage.
PELUM Zimbabwe is a network of more than 40 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs) working on sustainable agriculture.
The organisation said its focus is on promoting agroecology, ecological organic agriculture, seed sovereignty and climate resilience among smallholder farmers.
PELUM Zimbabwe said its goal is to improve food security and livelihoods through ecological land-use practices instead of chemical-intensive farming, while the regional PELUM Association operates across Southern and Eastern Africa.
The organisation conducts farmer training, indigenous seed fairs and advocacy programmes across Zimbabwe.
The Good Food Festival in Zimbabwe is being hosted by PELUM Zimbabwe under the Zimbabwe Seed Sovereignty Programme (ZSSP), in partnership with Bio Innovation Zimbabwe.
PELUM Zimbabwe said the event is “not just a food fair, but a movement to celebrate seed and food sovereignty, agroecology and Zimbabwe’s cultural food heritage.”
The organisation said the initiative seeks to help Zimbabweans reclaim control over what they grow and eat.
A core focus of the festival will be indigenous seeds and seed sovereignty, with farmers expected to showcase, exchange and sell traditional seed varieties such as sorghum, millet, nyemba (cowpeas) and nyimo (Bambara nuts).
On traditional and healthy foods, PELUM Zimbabwe said the festival will feature a food court offering dishes made from African ingredients, including mopane worms, millet porridge, baobab juice, finger millet cookies, amaranth and sugar-free cereals.
Cooking demonstrations and cook-offs will also be held to teach people how to prepare indigenous recipes.
On agroecology and climate resilience, PELUM Zimbabwe said dialogues will focus on organic farming, seed saving and practices that help combat climate change.
Small grains will also be highlighted for their drought, pest and disease resistance.
The festival will also focus on market linkages, with initiatives aimed at creating direct connections between agroecological entrepreneurs and processors, retailers, financiers and investors.
Other highlights will include cultural activities such as live music, dance and drama, as well as a children’s corner and youth innovation spaces.
PELUM Zimbabwe said its mandate is to empower communities to become self-organised and resilient through socially, economically and ecologically regenerative food systems.
The organisation described the festival as “a call to action”, saying “our seeds carry stories, solutions, and the power to shape a healthier future.”