PELUM (Participatory Ecological Land Use Management Association) is a regional network of civil society organizations working across East, Central, and Southern Africa. It promotes ecological and agroecological land-use practices, particularly among smallholder farmers. The name emphasizes two principles:

Participatory – farmers and communities are central decision-makers.

Ecological – focus on natural resource conservation, biodiversity, and sustainable farming methods.

Vision, Mission & Purpose

Vision: Empowered and self-organised farming communities able to make informed ecological decisions for sustainable livelihoods.

Mission: To promote participatory ecological land use practices that improve livelihoods among smallholder farmers and agro-pastoralists.

Purpose: Strengthening national, sub-regional, and regional structures to share knowledge, scale ecological practices, and advocate for supportive policies.

History & Growth

Founded in 1995 with around 25 pioneer organizations.

Today, it has grown into a network of over 250 organizations spread across more than a dozen countries.

Country chapters, also called Country Working Groups (CWGs), operate at national level with their own structures and leadership.

Where It Operates

PELUM has a strong presence in countries such as:

Kenya – promoting regenerative agriculture and organic practices.

Uganda – focusing on farmer training, advocacy, and capacity building.

Tanzania – running projects on seed rights, women’s empowerment, and ecological farming.

Malawi – organizing seed fairs and promoting traditional, resilient crops.

Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Ethiopia, South Africa, Botswana – with national chapters and member organizations driving ecological practices.

Key Thematic Areas

Capacity Building & Networking – training, peer learning, and knowledge exchange.

Advocacy & Policy Influence – pushing for farmer-friendly and agroecology-aligned policies.

Agroecological Practices – organic farming, agroforestry, crop diversification, soil conservation, integrated pest management.

Seed Systems – strengthening local seed sovereignty and farmer-managed seed networks.

Market Development – linking farmers to markets for ecological products and value addition.

Climate Resilience & Natural Resource Management – water conservation, soil restoration, sustainable forestry.

Women & Youth Inclusion – promoting equity in leadership, decision-making, and economic participation.

Governance & Structure

Each country chapter has its own secretariat and governing board.

A regional secretariat coordinates cross-country learning and advocacy.

The highest decision-making organ is the Triennial General Meeting (TGM), held every three years.

Membership includes full members (CSOs, NGOs), associate members (networks, institutions), and sometimes individuals.

Strengths

Strong local ownership and participatory approach.

Network effect that fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Policy leverage through a regional voice.

Emphasis on ecological sustainability and resilience.

Holistic approach integrating economic, social, and environmental concerns.

Challenges

Funding constraints for sustaining long-term programs.

Policy barriers in countries still favoring conventional agriculture.

Scaling difficulties due to diverse ecological conditions.

Uneven member capacity, with some weaker organizations struggling to implement projects.

Market limitations for ecological products.

Behavioral change challenges in shifting farmers from conventional methods.