A bumper crowd thronged Chakohwa High School this week for the Chimanimani Good Food, Seed and Music Festival where local farmers walked away with prizes ranging from hoes to cooking pots and with renewed determination to build resilient food systems.

The week-long celebration, organised by the Participatory Organic Research Extension and Training organisation (PORET), ran under the theme of "celebrating the diversity and resilience of Zimbabwean food and beyond."

Addressing the gathering on behalf of the Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza the Director for Economic Affairs in the minister's office Munyaradzi Rubaya, commended farmers for their dedication.

"I'm happy with what I have witnessed here today. The growing of our traditional seeds is a clear example of how we are applying the skills you are learning from PORET," Rubaya said.

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He also urged young people to resist drug and substance abuse and instead pursue life-changing skills that contribute to development.

Farmers who spoke to 263Chat said the festival had inspired them to redouble their efforts.

"Youth farmer Energy Mazungane said he is determined to keep working hard using the knowledge and skills he has acquired from PORET. 'PORET has equipped us with important skills, and we will continue to apply them. We are now better prepared to farm successfully,"' he said.

The festival was capped with a performance by gospel star Dorcas Moyo who treated the audience to songs from her forthcoming album, sending festival-goers into raptures.