From 2020 to 2022, we piloted a capacity-building methodology that aimed to equip participants involved in community-based food initiatives, in Zimbabwe, with the skills and knowledge to produce participatory video proposals. Through this phase, we developed facilitation resources that were tailored to the unique needs of our participants and supported participatory learning.
Over the course of the prototyping phase, we engaged with approximately 70 individual participants from 13 NGOs and 30 CBOs. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, we were able to provide remotely-facilitated online workshops that were accessible through Zoom and WhatsApp. These workshops were designed to foster small learning circles, allowing participants to collaborate and engage with one another in a supportive environment.
We are proud of the impact that this prototyping phase has had and look forward to continuing to refine and share our approach.
Currently, we are working to scale out and scale up, collaborating with individuals and groups to take an active role in shaping their local food systems. By advocating for more participatory, community-led approaches to funding, we hope to create a more equitable and sustainable food systems landscape.
We are committed to researching and monitoring the impact of the project. In the prototyping phase, Make it Grow recruited 4 University of Sheffield students to undertake research placements or internships, via the SURE scheme and the Graduate Internship Scheme. Research topics include: Participant Experiences of and Reflections on Spaces of Inclusion or Exclusion; Community Project Impact Pathway Analysis. Since the prototyping phase, we continued to research the impact of Make it Grow and recently undertook a participatory monitoring and evaluation study by Prisca Adong, Peter Gandakusuma and Pamela Richardson in May-August 2022.
The Vision Africa Community Working Group are raising funds for their Horticulture and Chicken Breeding Project to tackle unemployment, a lack of economic empowerment, and poverty.
The Hama Maoko Star Club is raising funds for their youth-driven rabbit production project which will improve food and nutrition security in the Shurugwi community.
Fambidzanai Permaculture Training Centre, Zimbabwe, in partnership with Gosha Organic Farmers Group is raising funds for their gardening for improved sustainable livelihoods project.
Experience with participatory video proposals: assisting community organisations with innovation project planning, Pamela Richardson, Maria Jose Restrepo Rodriguez, Raul Fernandez, Brigitte Kaufmann.
Participatory Video Proposals: A Tool for Empowering FarmerGroups in Transdisciplinary Innovation Processes?, Pamela Richardson, Maria Jose Restrepo Rodriguez, Raul Fernandez, Brigitte Kaufmann.
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