Growing knowledge, seeds, and resilience in Siangamba Village – By Diana Mapulanga, Communication Officer Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT).

Growing Knowledge, Seeds, and Resilience in Siangamba Village – By Diana Mapulanga, Communication Officer Community Technology Development Trust  (CTDT).

In Siangamba Village of Chikankata District, the Tuyandane Farmer Field School (FFS) is demonstrating how participatory learning can transform local agriculture. The Community Technology Development Trust (CTDT) supported the establishment of the FFS in 2019 as part of its community-based agroecology and seed systems work.  This was a timely intervention as Siangamba farmers were grappling with declining soil fertility, limited access to quality seed and low yields. Over time, many local seed varieties began to disappear, replaced by hybrid seeds that were costly and often poorly adapted to local conditions.  These challenges were undermining both food security and farmers’ ability to respond to climate stress. The Farmer Field School is a participatory extension approach built on a simple principle: the farmer is the expert, the crop is the teacher and learning happens by doing. At Tuyandane, women, men and youth come together to design and test solutions to local production challenges. The inclusive structure has strengthened collaboration within households and encouraged joint decision-making on soil management, seed selection and nutrition.

Through hands-on training, farmers have adopted soil restoration practices such as making bokashi using locally available materials like cow dung and chicken droppings. They have reintroduced and multiplied traditional seed varieties such as Bbilimba and Kafwamba, improving crop diversity and resilience. Using tools like Agro-Ecosystem Analysis (AESA), they have also strengthened their ability to observe field conditions and manage pests effectively.

The results are visible in healthier soils, improved crop performance and increased food security. Yet challenges remain. As FFS member Eunety Mweene explains, many women lack secure access to land, making it difficult to sustain improvements. Limited markets for surplus produce and inadequate water for off-season farming also constrain progress.

Despite this, Tuyandane FFS remains committed to expanding local seed production, improving market access and strengthening partnerships to support water infrastructure for year-round farming.

The experience in Siangamba illustrates how farmer-led seed systems, grounded in local knowledge and agroecological practice, can contribute to climate resilience and food sovereignty. It also reflects SKI’s wider approach: strengthening farmers’ agency, rebuilding seed diversity, and supporting locally driven solutions that respond to real conditions on the ground.