THE 2024 ZAMBIAN TRADITIONAL SEED AND FOOD FESTIVAL
The 2024 Zambian Traditional Seed and Food Festival
The 7th Zambian Traditional Seed and Food Festival will be held on 11th-12th October, 2024 at Munda Wanga Botanical Gardens in Chilanga District. The Zambian Traditional Seed and Food Festival addresses critical challenges in Zambia’s food production system, it also aims to engage stakeholders, showcase agroecology, influence and facilitate the exchange of traditional seeds and foods.
This year’s theme, “Building a healthy, resilient food and seed system,” focuses on celebrating and promoting traditional seeds and foods amid climate change, policy shifts and technical constraints facing small-scale farmers.
The festival will feature a range of activities including a roadshow, wellness center visit, farmer’s dialogue, and exhibitions.
For more detailed information, please refer to the full concept note here
Why the festival?
The Zambian Traditional Seed and Food Festival is driven by the urgent need to address challenges in Zambia’s food production system, particularly the vulnerability of rural communities, small-scale farmers, women, and youth, to external shocks like climate change and drought. The recent farming season has underscored the inefficacy of the current agricultural model in tackling issues like biodiversity loss, environmental degradation, and food insecurity.
With potential policy changes threatening traditional seed varieties, the festival advocates for a shift toward sustainable food systems that promote agroecology. Agroecology offers a holistic approach that ensures food security while prioritizing environmental conservation, social equity, and economic resilience.
By promoting traditional foods and seeds, the festival aims to safeguard Zambia’s cultural heritage and empower small-scale farmers. It provides a platform for stakeholders to exchange knowledge, influence policy, and showcase how traditional practices can play a vital role in building a healthier, more resilient food system for the future.
Objective
To promote the preservation, exchange, and use of traditional seeds and foods, while raising awareness about their critical role in ensuring food security and nutritional diversity. The festival aims to encourage the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, such as agroecology, that support environmental conservation and enhance resilience against climate change. Additionally, the festival seeks to influence policy changes that create an enabling environment for small-scale farmers, protect farmers’ rights, and ensure the continued growth and recognition of traditional food systems in Zambia.
Participants
Researchers
Practitioners
Farmers
Women and youth-led/rights organizations
Policymakers
Private sector representatives
Civil society organizations
Collaborating partners
Interested groups in agriculture and agroecology
Media
Academic Institutions
Themes of the festival
- Building a healthy and resilient food and seed system
- Preservation and promotion of traditional seeds and foods
- Addressing food insecurity and climate change challenges
- Encouraging the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, such as agroecology
- Advocating for supportive policies that protect small-scale farmers and traditional food systems
- Enhancing food security and nutrition through traditional farming methods
Highlights
Proud Partners
Festival Venue
Format
Plenary Sessions: Keynote speeches and high-level discussions on building resilient food and seed systems.
Dialogues: Interactive sessions, farmer’s dialogue traditional food, seeds and food security.
Exhibitions: Showcasing traditional seeds, food products and value addition processes
Seed & Food Exchange: Opportunities for participants to share, sell, and exchange traditional seeds and foods.
Roadshow & Visits: Awareness-raising roadshows and wellness center visits.