KKM's Food Sovereignty Journey Since 2008”

by Thabang “TMS” Letela, Kopano Ke Matla Coordinator

The Kopano Ke Matla(KKM) Network reviewed its activities and assessed its impact on the fight against hunger and poverty during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in December 2007.

Overstretching the capacity

At the AGM it became very clear that the lives of the Basotho people in general and those of KKM members in particular have not changed positively since the establishment of the Network in the year 2002/2003. One of the reasons for this underachievement was that the little resources were overstretched to cater too many members, as there were over 150 organisational members in 2005/2006, many of whom did not meet the membership criteria of KKM.

Besides, KKM had initially five focus area's, addressing:

1. Inappropriate education system;
2. Inappropriate agricultural/farming methods;
3. Livestock theft;
4. Individualistic approach to development (as opposed to cooperatives);
5. HIV & AIDS.

Narrowing the focus

The AGM then made a resolution to prune the then multi-pronged focus and adopt a narrower and manageable focus, but some Network members expressed dissatisfaction and concerns saying the reduction of focus areas also meant a reduction of possibilities for potential donors. However, all had a consensus that the Network did not have adequate resources to handle all the five focus areas simultaneously.

Shifting priorities

The workshop on “Organizing for Peaceful Social Change” held for KKM leaders in January 2008 resulted in the shaping of KKM`s new foci of “Food Sovereignty” and “HIV & AIDS”, as the two were seen to be closely related.

Food Sovereignty

This is how, with Food Sovereignty as main theme, a three-level cycle approach was adopted and implemented to ensure the availability of quality indigenous seed. This was in response to the cry from KKM and other farmers that many fields were unplanted because of unavailability of farming inputs such as seeds and fertilizers. KKM's indigenous seed cycle consists of an indigenous seed fair, seed multiplication, and seed preservation.

1. Indigenous Seed Fair

Ever since the first fair in 2008, members and farmers from partner organizations have been invited to bring and exhibit during the last week of August their different indigenous seed varieties and participate in a constructive and educational competition, where winners are awarded small prizes. This forum allows participants to share experiences, buy seeds from other farmers or exchange seeds with their counterparts.

2. Seed Multiplication

It has become a tradition for KKM members to start planting in the first week of September – a month or two before GMOs and hybrid farmers begin to plant. This helps, to some extent, to give indigenous seed farmers` crops to flower and pollinate before others do. Similarly, and under normal circumstances, the indigenous varieties ripen and are harvested ahead of the others. This practice has developed a commendable culture among KKM farmers.

3. Seed Preservation

The importance of quality seed in food sovereignty cannot be overemphasized. Farmers are, therefore, encouraged to maintain the Indigenous Knowledge (IK) methods of seed storage for household usage and adopt the modern seed granary method for communal use. This is the third link of the indigenous seed cycle chain.

Depending on the length of storage, it is necessary to guard against damage from moisture as well as damage by pests. After harvest, the seed is dried for three weeks in a well-ventilated place protected against strong sun rays. Farmers use some plants, herbs, dung or waste materials of certain domestic and wild animals to control pests during storage.

Challenges

Some of the main challenges KKM Indigenous Seed Fair organisers have faced include:

• limited funding and budget constraints. As a result, a limited number of delegates attend the Indigenous Seed Fair. Even the few that manage to attend do not bring all their crops e.g. pumpkins, potatoes, etc. Due to small prizes, the Indigenous Seed Fair is unable to attract many non-KKM farmers. Many poor farmers are unable to buy and start the indigenous farming business.
• KKM membership is mainly by adults and aged citizens – the absence of the young generation portrays an obvious lack of sustainability.
• Lack of documentation of indigenous farmers` IK makes critics to assume that indigenous seeds are inferior to GMOs seeds only because the latter are widely and highly promoted on the media and are widely distributed across countries. Many believers in GMOs have often challenged KKM leaders to provide evidence that GMO seeds and foods cause poverty and aggravate the condition of People Living With HIV/AIDS.
• Difficulty to attract sponsors for indigenous farming - - obviously because we advocate against agribusiness companies and proponents of GMOs, who have won governments and large retail stores on their side, thanks to their financial muscle.

KKM members and farmers from partner organizations all agree that after three years of the indigenous seed campaign, it is time to document the best practices and compile a manual on different indigenous seeds and their varieties. Thanks to the PCUSA and PHP.