Mvuthu Community Elated as FAMS Project Sparks Hope and Empowerment

Zion City Foundation officially launched the Feminist Agroecology Model Schools (FAMS) Project in Mvuthu Village, Victoria Falls, yesterday—marking a transformative step towards community-led sustainable agriculture, gender equity, and food sovereignty in rural Zimbabwe.

Running under the theme “Transforming Food Systems through Agroecology and Movement Building,” the initiative is supported by the Food Justice Network (FJN).

The launch brought together local villagers, women’s groups, youth representatives, and community leaders in a spirited engagement meeting that introduced the goals, structure, and expected outcomes of the project.

Zion City Foundation’s Founder and Director, Mrs. P. Chikosi, led the proceedings, emphasizing the importance of empowering women and youth through climate-smart agriculture and inclusive policy advocacy.

“This is more than a farming project,” said Mrs. Chikosi. “It is a movement to reclaim our land, our food systems, and our dignity. Women are not just participants—they are leaders in this transformation.”

The Feminist Agroecology Model Schools initiative is structured around two key tiers: practical agroecological transformation and policy advocacy.

It promotes sustainable farming practices through hands-on training, model nutrition gardens, and indigenous livestock enterprises such as poultry, rabbit farming, and goat rearing. These enterprises are designed to improve food diversity, climate resilience, and household incomes—particularly for women-led households.

On the advocacy front, the project will facilitate community dialogues on food and agriculture policies, identify policy gaps, and mobilize grassroots campaigns for reform.

This approach aims to elevate the voices of smallholder farmers—especially women and youth—who are often excluded from national food policy discussions.

The Food Justice Network, which funds the FAMS project, is a pan-African alliance committed to food sovereignty, climate justice, and dismantling inequalities in food systems.

FJN’s support underscores the broader vision of enabling marginalized communities to take control of their food futures through education, mobilization, and policy engagement.

Attendees at the launch expressed deep appreciation for the initiative, highlighting how timely and necessary such a program is amid ongoing climate challenges and rising food insecurity.

“This is the opportunity we’ve been waiting for,” said Henrietta Phiri. “Our youth need skills, our women need support, and our land needs healing.”

The FAMS project is expected to create stronger local food systems, increase climate resilience, and boost the economic independence of women and youth in Mvuthu Village.

Through participatory leadership and community ownership, the project aims to set a model for sustainable rural development across Zimbabwe and the region.

By Witness A Phiri