Improving the identification, handling and storage of “difficult” seeds ...

2.18. ZIMBABWE presentation
National Genebank Of Zimbabwe
Mr. Kudzai Kusena
Supporting On-Farm management & improvement of PGRFA (question 2.1)
Participatory on-farm characterization and seed multiplication of neglected crops in three
Zimbabwean districts
The National Genebank of Zimbabwe in collaboration with Biotechnology Trust of Zimbabwe
(BTZ), a Non Governmental Organization, are implementing a project of on-farm multiplication
and characterization of marginalized (orphan) crops in Zimbabwean districts, namely Makoni,
Buhera and Hwedza. The main aim of the project is to reintroduce a larger diversity on production
of these landraces which are better suited to these marginal environments.
A survey was conducted during the initial stages of the project, mainly to assess the state of
germplasm diversity. The survey targeted Vigna subterranea, Vigna unguiculata, Sorghum sp.,
Pennisetum glaucum and rapoko. It turned out that a lot of germplasm that was present historically
was no longer present or was being farmed by very few farmers on a small area in the targeted
districts. Based on the survey report, it was noted that there was need to promote the lost genetic
diversity. Farmers were organized into groups at ward level. The project then carried out a
collection mission for those threatened crops. However, parts of the collection (duplicates) were
sent to the Genebank for conservation and the other portions were taken back to farmers for
multiplication and characterization. The team also out sourced some other germplasm materials
from other districts as well as from Genebank to reintroduce into the targeted districts.
So in the first year each ward carried out seed multiplication on farm and a series of training were
carried out on quality seed production. The material multiplied were those materials that we
collected from their area plus those which were introduced from other districts. During the
multiplication period a field day was held at each site where all the community members were
invited. During multiplication farmers also characterized their materials with the help of the
extension workers.
Taro field genebank
The National Genebank of Zimbabwe is currently running two Colocasia esculenta (taro) field
Genebanks in Makoni District. A farmer-based committee is responsible for the day-to-day
management of taro field Genebank. The establishment of these two taro field genebanks banks
came as a result of alarming fast erosion of taro genetic diversity that has been fueled by drought
that has been ravaging the whole SADC region for the past ten years. However, Zimbabwe was not
spared and most of our community wetlands where large diversity taro germplasm was kept dried
out.
The project team gathered some information on new techniques that were adopted by farmers in
order to conserve their landraces. These measures were being employed by farmers to bridge the
dry gap in winter. Farmers were now harvesting all taro crops during dry winter and pack them in
sacks where they monitor the moisture. However the method is not good enough since most of the
materials were rotting during the storage period, and another method employed by farmers was to
harvest all taro and bury them in a small pit which they cover mixed with soil, constantly the
farmers would monitor the moisture content level. However this method is not effective as well to
conserve the diversity since most of the materials were rotting during storage. Therefore the
National Genebank of Zimbabwe went on a collection expedition and a number of landraces were
collected from farmers (about 15 different landraces). The collected materials were now planted at a