Farmers Reluctant to Abandon Staple Grains for Drought-Resistant Alternatives

In the battle for food security, Fanuel Dube is resisting his government – and giving in to his children.

As Zimbabwe’s sowing season nears, the small-scale farmer from Filabusi, a village about 100km (63 miles) south of Bulawayo, intends to continue planting maize.

He has refused the entreaties of government agriculture officers to grow smaller, naturally drought-resistant grains such as sorghum and millet. The problem, he says, is that “our children do not like it”.

“We ate sorghum when we were younger ourselves, but we have been planting maize for so long now it’s the only food our children know,” Dube explained.

http://www.businessinsider.com/r-swap-maize-for-millet-zimbabwes-farmers-just-say-no-2016-10

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