Trees for life and foods for Dzikwa Kitchen

Reforestration and Food Security

Nursery & reforestation

Dzivarasekwa children need environmental and conservation education to understand how climate change, pollution, and bad waste management impact lives. Dzikwa Trust Re-forestation & Food Security Project occupies a 60-hectare degraded land area in Dzivarasekwa, leased in 2012 from the City of Harare. Soon after initial tree planting, we expanded with a proper plant nursery, with both firewood and indigenous tree seedlings, horticulture, fruit trees, and beekeeping. From 2011 to 2016, the funding came from the Finnish development cooperation grants. Our collaborators have been the City of Harare, Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe, AGRITEX/Ministry of Agriculture, Bindura University of Science Education, and VITRI/Viikki Tropical Resources Institute of the University of Helsinki. We have planted 70,000 trees over 20 hectares over the years. The food security activities have expanded and cover two greenhouses, a large open-air irrigated vegetable garden, as well as broiler and rabbit husbandry, thanks to grants from Netherlands and Australia in 2018-2020. We now provide 80% of the daily kitchen vegetables, 50 chickens, and 20 rabbits for meat on a weekly basis.

Reforestation and Food Security Achivements

  • Since 2007, Dzikwa Trust has planted over 70,000 trees in the outskirts of Dzivarasekwa to reforest a degraded land area. Dzikwa Trust produces on average 20,000 tree seedlings annually in its nursery.
  • Dzikwa Trust organises an annual Tree Planting Day for its children in early December. Children develop understanding, awareness, and sensitivity to environmental challenges in Dzivarasekwa and in Zimbabwe. The aim is to enhance children’s motivation to do something in their own environment to identify and help resolve every-day environmental issues. Children learn about climate change and the importance of trees.
  • The Food Security produces annually 4,000 broilers, 1,200 rabbits, and most of the large variety of vegetables for the feeding of children at the Dzikwa Kitchen. Dzikwa Trust is establishing a fishpond, and new vegetable and herbal gardens. Currently one productive orchard gives fruits to children, and two new orchards are being built. Beekeeping ensures thriving honey production.
  • The Reforestation and Food Security programme has had over 30 students on study-related attachments.

Reforestration and Food Security

Nutrition