MAINSTREAMING CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION IN AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION
CASE STUDY 1
2012
Maidei Jejeje is a widow, with no children, farming a fenced holding of 3 hectares in
Natural Farming Region 5 (Gwanda South District) of Matabeleland South. She has
been trained in soil and water conservation using basins as a way of harvesting rain
water and building soil moisture to take crops through the recurrent and prolonged
dry spells which characterize the region. After training in conservation farming (CF)
Maidei had the further opportunity to be trained in seed multiplication of open
pollinated varieties of drought tolerant small seed cultivars. The extension worker,
who had been impressed by Maidei‟s demonstration of conservation farming,
selected her to receive 3 maize varieties from Pannar for multiplication. In the same
season as multiplying the 3 maize cultivars she cultivated 1 variety of cow peas
(CBC2) and 1 sorghum cultivar (Macia). Besides being a work horse Maidei is a
typical innovative farmer who is keen on experimenting with different technologies.
On her CF plot, she has combined methods such as basins/potholes and mulch and
some areas basins only for comparison. So as not to loose on rainfall data, Maidei
improvised a rain gauge using an empty tin of 500g beans which she has set out in
an open space on top of a pole. Once the rains stop, she collects the tin and uses a
tape measure and reads the amount collected which she then records.
Her seed multiplication has created an income stream as well as multiple linkages as
she now has to constantly liaise with Matopo Research for her sorghum and cow
peas seed, while also liaising with Pannar for her maize seed. She has become an
important lead/contact farmer who has earned a lot of respect from AGRITEX with the
local extension workers and even her village head.
Maidei has three cows which she restocked after the devastating 1992 drought. She
also has few goats from which she gets some milk. She has recently attended
training on Participatory Market System Development (PMSD) and maintains regular
contact with the District Department of Veterinary services since there are no
paravets in her area.
She and other women have formed Internal Lending and Savings Schemes where
each of the women gets some money when her turn comes. As a society they also
bake cakes, scones and fat scones for sale at the local school and clinic. When she
has urgent financial needs she draws money from these savings.
She has a deep well and grows some vegetables. During extreme drought most
villagers survive on this well as the community source of water will have dried.
A Training Manual on Use of Climate Information and Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment for
Agricultural Extension Staff in Zimbabwe
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