Survival Skills Organic Farming Community Association (SSOFA) is a community based organization based in Goromomonzi District. The association seeks to consolidate work, efforts and development objectives expressed on the various projects that intend to be serious participants in organic farming. SSOFA is a community based organization that is active in promoting sustainable livelihoods, community development and environmental management. SSOFA has been practicing organic farming since 2007 as a community of farmers. However through interactions at community levels and regular meetings coupled with a number of workshops facilitated by organizations such as Fambidzanai Permaculture Centre (FPC) the ?community of farmers? organized itself to become a standalone community based organization. The organization has plans to register through the authorities to register as a community based organization.

The association currently have one hundred and twenty five members who are active in implementing nutrition and organic herbal gardens. Farmers successfully reduced the use of dangerous chemicals such as tamaron, rogor, dimethoate 40EC, Methyl Dibromide and DDT and substitute these with local pesticidal plants remedies such as preparations from chillies, marigolds, tephrosia among others. They have also reduced the use of inorganic fertilisers and substitute with organic fertilizers. Farmers within the association are now aware of sustainable environmental conservation and nutrition security and optimum dietary diversity and the importance of eliminating POPs and benefits such as improved soil fertility, reduced soil erosion, improved nutrition through eating chemical free products are being realized. Famers have been trained in Internal Control Systems (ICS) of organic farming by FPC and have been able to monitor each others, hence qualified for the organic certification processes. A number of horticultural products such as garlic, onions, leaf vegetables, beans, sweet potato, grafted mango and oranges are being produced. Lately, farmers are now producing organic crops such as groundnuts for peanut butter, honey and indigenous chickens for sale although at very small scale and they are not yet certified. SSOFCA has one of its peanut butter products called Chinanzvirwa in the retail shops.

In the light of the above context, the gaps that need to be addressed emanated from major problems faced by farmers in Goromonzi in the Mwanza ward that include difficulties low production and access markets to markets. Up scaling and organic certification is the solution. There is also lack of diversity in their production levels. Hence there need to integrate organic dry land farming, organic horticulture with aquaculture, apiculture, mushroom production and organic poultry production. Experience has shown that the marketing and selling of organic produce in the rural areas affect positive economic growth among the organic farmers as the local community would buy organically produced products because of them being healthy as compared to conventional products.

However the problem was that the market in the rural areas themselves was sporadic and irregular so much that it was difficult for the farmers to make very significant incomes. Hence there need for effective marketing strategies in Harare market since the distance from Harare is fairly reasonable. Hence it may be noble to sell their products as organic, hence the need for certification. Another problem was that organic produce was being sold at the same price as conventional because farmers are not yet certified. Hence organic produce did not receive the premium price it deserves and the farmers did not realize adequate economic benefit from organic farming because they are not yet certified organically for them to access organic markets nationally and internationally. The issue of product quality and quantity also needs to be strengthened for total elimination of POPs.

The intention of this proposal is therefore to facilitate members to up-scale organic farming, increase production and organic certification for farmers. The project will offer a platform for eliminating POPs in Goromonzi in the Mwanza ward district. Organizations such as Organic Network Forum would develop the capacity of farmers to produce their product in line with Zimbabwe Organic Standards while Zimbabwe Organic Partners and Promoters Association will take farmers through Participatory Guarantee systems and certification procedures to ensure quality products which meet international standards. Other farming enterprises such as organic dry land farming, organic horticulture, apiculture, mushroom production and organic poultry production are going to be up scaled.

Problem Statement and justification

Farmers in Goromonzi in the Mwanza ward are generally exposed to POPs and are at risk since these chemicals can enter the human body through many mechanisms such as ingestion, the skin and nose. POPs have been found at global scale in soils, sediments, fat of fish, terrestrial animals and in vegetables. The exposure to farmers in Goromonzi in the Mwanza ward is a result of intensive conventional agriculture around the community. Chemicals such as DDT, Methyl dibromide and tamaron are commonly used in the surrounding areas. Some vegetable farmers are also using chemicals such as rogor, cabaryl and DDT for controlling vegetable pests. These POPs are linked by a growing body of evidence to reproductive failure, deformities, cancer and immune system disruption. These chemicals can persist in nature and linked to malfunctions in fish and wild life. Hence this project seeks to provide sustainable solution through implementing organic agriculture and call for total elimination of these chemicals. Through the holistic nature of organics as proposed in this project ,organic farming integrates wild biodiversity, agro-biodiversity and soil conservation, and takes low-intensity farming one step further by eliminating the use of chemical fertilizers and POPs , which is not only an improvement for human health (food quality) and agro biodiversity, but also for the associated off farm biotic communities. It is in this context, that the project implementation will focus organic production and access to organic markets through organic certification.

Organic farming is also a tool for reducing climate change related impacts. Organic farming can perform even when there is moisture stress if farmers apply all the principles including mulching, water harvesting and addition of organic manure which increases water holding capacity of the soil. This will also assist in land degradation. Agro forestry and establishment of woodlots would also offer a platform for carbon sink and further reduces runoff hence gully formation. Increased crop yields will ensure food security for the community and improved livelihoods for the locals through selling products from honey, mushroom and nurseries.


The Overall Objective

To eliminate Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) through implementing organic farming for sustainable environmental management and improved livelihoods for Goromonzi in the Mwanza ward Community.

Specific Objectives

1. To upscale organic farming for selected communities in Goromonzi in the Mwanza ward for the elimination of Persistent Organic Pollutants.
2. To built capacity for farmers to access organic market through organic certification.
3. To increase livelihoods options and effective environment management through the up scaling of nurseries, apiculture, ethno veterinary, organic aquaculture and organic mushroom production.

Rationale/Justification of the project

Organic agriculture dramatically reduces external inputs by controlling pests and diseases naturally, with both traditional and modern methods, increasing both agricultural yields and disease resistance. Organic agriculture adheres to globally accepted principles (Principles of Organic Agriculture), for local socio-economic, climatic and cultural settings. The project is in line with a number of protocols and conventions which Zimbabwe is a signatory such Stockholm convention which bans the use of POPs.

Alternatively, agricultural contaminants such as inorganic fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides used in conventional agriculture are a major concern all over the world. Eutrophication, the suffocation of aquatic plants and animals due to rapid growth of algae, referred to as "algae blooms", are literally killing lakes, rivers and other bodies of water. Persistent herbicides and insecticides can extend beyond target weeds and insects when introduced into aquatic environments. These chemicals have accumulated up the food chain where top predators (e.g. humans) consume toxic dosages. Organic agriculture restores the environmental balance and has none of these or other such deleterious effects on the environment.

The Project aims to improve the quality of life of the people in communities, conserving the environment and generating income. Through offering inexpensive, locally available alternatives to agro-chemicals - apiculture, aquaculture and organic mushrooms production communities would have many livelihood options. Growing crops using low cost local inputs with minimum external inputs while attaining high yield of high nutrition produce is essential for food and nutrition security. The food residue is going to be used in mushroom production and aquaculture hence incorporating the concept of circulation. Most the techniques involved do not require any special materials or equipment; therefore they are relatively easy to apply.

The project is line with the Millennium Development Goal number 7 to ensure environmental sustainability by the year 2015 and the global objective of food security which is to improve the living standards of communities and vulnerable groups. It also addresses thematic areas of GEF such as land degradation, climate change and biodiversity.

Objective 1. To upscale organic farming for selected communities in Goromonzi in the Mwanza ward for the elimination of Persistent Organic Pollutants.
Objective 2. To built capacity for farmers to access organic market through developed farmer bulking centre and certification on organic standards.
Objective 3. To increase livelihoods options and effective environment management through the up scaling of nurseries, apiculture, ethno veterinary, organic aquaculture and organic mushroom production

Activities relating to objective 1
1.1 Conducting farmer course in organic farming and scaling up organic farming and to ensure compliance to organic standards.
Training farmers in organic inspection and extension methods for organic farming up scaling. ( New Organic regulations requires farmers to inspect each other)
1.1Fencing 3 community gardens (Organic gardens) with liquid manure tanks and pest remedies gene bank and water for irrigation. The gardens would be measuring 70m X 70m.
1.2Exchange Visit to an established Organic Farming association
1.3Conducting field days and seed fairs.
(During the field days various partners will be invited from GEFSGP and its partners, other CBOs, government departments, relevant stakeholders and local leadership.)
1.4Field visits to ensure compliance to organic farming practice for certification
2.1Capacity develop farmers in product market and market linkages
2.2 Conducting Participatory Guarantee systems and Results Based Quality management systems
2.3Training farmers in Organic Standards
2.4Conducting organic certification with a recognized certification board
2.5Field visits to ensure compliance to organic farming practice for certification
3.1Conducting training in organic bee keeping and establish 40 beekeeping sites.
3.2Training workshop in organic mushroom production and establishing 40 mushroom sites.
3.3Training farmers in Ethno veterinary knowledge systems (EVK) and indigenous chicken production
3.4Training and Up scaling community nurseries and woodlots development. (A total of 1000 Indigenous Trees, 2000 gum trees, 2000 exotic trees).
3.5 Documentation

Outputs (O-6months of completed activity)
1.1 Ensured compliance to Organic farming practice for reducing POPs and residual chemicals
Indicator: 125 farmers complying with organic farming standards.
1.2 Increased knowledge on organic farming to other farmers in the communities
Indicator 1: 125 farmer inspectors trained in inspection and extension methods
1.3 Higher returns per dollar for farmers using organic farming in the 4 organic gardens.
Indicator: 6 Organic community gardens fenced.
1.4 Motivated famers
1.5 Motivated famers
1.6 Farmers adhering to organic farming practices
Indicator: farmers complying to organic internal control systems
2.1 Improved marketing skills and strategies by the community
Indicator 1 Marketing strategies, equipment and committees in place
2.2 Guaranteed participation in organic farming by farmers and markets
Indicator: Contracts signed between farmers and markets.
2.3 Farmers knowing their Organic Standards.
Indicator: effective organic farming implementation
2.4 Certified farmers
Indicator: 125 farmers 0rganically certified farmers
2.5 Farmers adhering to organic farming practices
Indicator: farmers complying to organic internal control systems
3.1 Improved capacity of local community to practice bee keeping and organic honey production.
Indicator: 400 bee apiaries and 2 tons of honey produced annually.
3.2 Improved capacity of local community produce organic mushroom and make own spawn.
Indicator: 40 farmers producing 1 ton of oyster mushroom annually.
3.3 Improved knowledge in Ethno veterinary by community and application to poultry production.
Indicator: 150 farmers applying (EVK) on poultry production
4 Nurseries and woodlots established
10 posters, 2 videos, 100 Fact sheets and 5 articles

Outcome (1 year after completed activity)
1.1 Increased Organic Production and reduced level of agrochemicals in farmers produce and processes of production.
2.0 Farmers accessing local and international organic markets
3.0 .1 Increased capacity for livelihood options by farmers

1.2 ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND AND CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT
Aim: To be a self sustainable community working in harmony with the available resources
Vision: A self sustainable community with improved standards of living through sustainable environmental management.

About SSOFCA
SSOFCA is a community based organizations that founded in 2004. The association comes into existence through interactions at community levels and regular meetings coupled with a number of workshops facilitated by organizations such as Fambidzanai Permaculture Centre (FPC) the ?community of farmers? organized itself to become a standalone community based organization. SSOFCA as a CBO is working in sustainable community development through fostering organic farming for improved standards of living. The organization is active in promoting and implementing organic farming. SSOFCA is led by the management committee which is made up of farmers from different areas in the ward and local leadership. The management committee has gained enough experience through working with Fambidzanai Permaculture Centre and the members have been trained in leadership skills, gender mainstreaming and conflict resolution. Fambidzanai Permaculture Centre has been working with farmers in the area since 2004 promoting kitchen gardens and permaculture. Currently the association leader is a women deputized with a many. Sixty five percent of the membership are women. SSOFCA is also working 6 organic gardens and 6 woodlots with a total membership of 125 farmers. There are plans to include more farmers as the association is fast growing. SSOFCA is operating with a constitution. The constitution is a legal document that guides the association in aspects like how can one be a member, finances, subscription, term of office among other issues. SSOFCA has successfully been involved in organic chili production in 2007-2009.

The organization is also actively involved into other income generations projects such organic beekeeping and indigenous poultry production. It is envisaged that in this project six organic community gardens with access to water for irrigation are going to be established and six woodlots. The gardens are fenced with thorns and with the assistance from this project the gardens are going to be fenced with diamond mesh wire. The farmers have dug deep wells for irrigation. The farmers are producing leafy vegetables and some onions, carrots and butternuts. The production level is on the low side as they are not fully capacitated with the right skills in organic farming. There is also going to be a capacity building of farmers in agro forestry and beekeeping. This project is expected to benefit other farmers in the community apart from the direct beneficiaries.

The organization is committed and focused on organic approaches on a variety of platforms including the agricultural, environmental, food and social practices that meet the minimum standards. This provides the opportunity to link internationally to organic products markets that demand strict adherence to the code of practice for organic farming. The intention of the project is to brand their products. The produce is going to be certified using Zimbabwe Organic Standards and the ZimOrganic label is going to be used for marketing the products.

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Table of Current Status of SSOFCA

The community
Total Membership Male Female
125 58 67
There are 6 existing gardens and 6 woodlots access to water and partially fenced with barbed wire.

Garden Name Area (in meters) Number of members
1. Simbaivhu 70X70 8
2.Utano, Gosha 70x70 21
3. Marimo, Mhatsa 70x70 22
Woodlot Name
1. Dera 100X100 All village members
2. Murambwa 100X100 All village members
3.Musungate 100X100 All village members
4. Nherera 100X100 All village members

Mushroom 30 sites 30
Beekeeping 28 apiaries 28
Indigenous Chickens All farmers 125
Nurseries 10 sites 10