Agroecology Student Sparks a Green Revolution in Local Schools

Nomusa Sibanda is an Agroecology student whose work has steadily grown into a movement. What began as a personal passion has become a community effort touching farmers, teachers, and hundreds of young learners.

Her journey first took root in Nkayi, where she trained smallholder farmers in sustainable farming practices that include composting, seed saving, integrated pest and disease management, and soil fertility management, value addition among others. Many of those farmers later graduated with a Special Certificate in Agroecology, a milestone that affirmed Nomusa’s belief that practical, locally grounded training is the key to transforming livelihoods.

Such a milestone indeed inspired her to expand reach to groups often overlooked in agricultural development, the school children and their teachers. This year, Nomusa is currently running agroecology trainings with seven local schools, (5 primary schools and 2 secondary schools) with an average of 40 pupils per school, impacting almost 280 young learners in total.

In addition to her trainings with the students, Nomusa runs a class of 21 teachers, making her programme not just student education but professional development for educators. Through this program, teachers gain practical agroecology skills, learn hands-on techniques, and explore ways to integrate sustainable agriculture into their lessons, enhancing their ability to guide and support students in applying agroecology principles in school gardens and beyond.

Through these trainings, schools are gradually putting agroecological principles into practice, starting with Pfumvudza/Intwasa, compost-making, and other sustainable techniques. Learners have begun applying what they have learned in their school gardens while teachers are integrating agroecology into science lessons, health education, and environmental clubs, and some have even started developing their own school garden projects, demonstrating the tangible results of the training and fostering a hands-on culture of agroecology.

As an Agroecology student, Nomusa Sibanda is already shaping attitudes toward farming, food, and the environment, by actively sharing knowledge and skills with both learners and teachers, transforming school gardens into living classrooms and inspiring sustainable practices. Through her trainings, students are learning to care for the land, grow their own food, and embrace agroecological principles, while teachers gain the tools to integrate these lessons into their classrooms.

Story by Tungamirai Mashandure