Blog

Written by Thabang Mojahi (RWA South Africa)

Firstly, sparkles to the Zambian women for the first class buses, you truly have great taste darlings.

The drive to the first field we visited was accompanied by a lot of excitement and anticipation, I had personally been struck by how clean Lusaka is, the take over of the country by the Chinese which was visible by the many business sites and some billboards written in Chinese.

SADC Plant Genetic Resources Centre (SPGRC)
We had a great and warm welcome by a feminist woman who is also a Swati and an employee at the Seed bank. The learning experience was such a great eye opener and an awareness of what we consume/the food chain. I was particularly captivated by the entire process of storing a seed and how it\’s taken so seriously and the professional and precision that goes into the work. As a farmer I\’m grateful for the experience.

I was however left disappointed by the realisation that at the end of the day, although the local, small scale and women farmers are the providers of the seeds they don\’t actually benefit directly from their donations as the big companies are the ones who come and buy these seeds again!!!! Back to GMOs for the rest of us!!

When we went outside the bank, all I saw was great views for a photo shoot, well I did take pictures, I would have taken more if I had a committed photographer. The importance of seed preservation was the highlight of the day followed by knowing the importance of what we produce. I mean seeing so many medicinal plants which we take for granted at home and have since been commercialised being preserved and treated with such importance was jaw dropping.

Kasisi Agricultural training center

All I remember is rushing everywhere and eating everything I layed my eyes on and picking up every fruit and vegetable that fell of the tree and ORGANIC, ORGANIC, ORGANIC!!! Lastly, it is important to take your farming serious as a business and ensure you make profit. I ate and still left ferminished, lunch was already up and the patience was wearing thin at this point.

The market
Epic! Epic! Epic! I left with no money and owing a sister some kwachas because I wanted to buy everything in the store. This was a wonderful experience.

The village
At this point we all wanted to cry because we were so hungry and grumpy driving to the village. Upon our arrival I was so humbled by the love, hospitality and patience of the local women. RWA ZAMBIA you are simply the best. The food was very simple yet very tasty, the real African cuisine, five star I tell you.

Also got an opportunity to try cassava and peanut butter, sing, interact and donate. It was a great initiative to donate some money to the women an act of solidarity suggested by Mercia.

All in all, my experience was inspirational, fun, heart warming and humbling. RWA , sparkles!

With love:
Thabang