Agroecology, ubuntu, and indigenous knowledge: reviving cultural and ecological resilience in Chimanimani, Zimbabwe

Abstract

This study examines critically the intersection of agroecology, indigenous knowledge, and cultural practices in Chimanimani, Zimbabwe, highlighting how sustainable farming is deeply embedded in local social and spiritual life. Through interviews, focus groups, and field observations, we document how communities are reviving traditional foods, seeds, and farming methods as a response to climate change and the limitations of conventional agriculture. Indigenous grains such as finger and pearl millet, alongside legumes and open-pollinated maize varieties, are central not only to nutrition but also to cultural rituals, including food preparation, beer brewing, and rain-making ceremonies. Agroecological practices are reinforced by social institutions such as humwe (labour pooling), seed and food sharing, and the king’s granary (zunde ramambo), fostering community cohesion, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and environmental stewardship. Traditional leaders also play a critical role as custodians of land, culture, and ancestral knowledge, mediating between spiritual and ecological systems. Without romanticising the principles and practices of agroecology, the study highlights how agroecology in Chimanimani is not merely an ecological strategy but a culturally grounded approach that revitalises indigenous knowledge, affirms identity, and strengthens resilience. By situating farming practices within local cosmologies and ethics, agroecology emerges as a possible mechanism for decolonial knowledge reclamation, social solidarity, and climate adaptation in African rural contexts.