PELUM Association as a network was launched in October 1995. However, the Courtship for the conception of PELUM Association started in 1991. Fambidzanai Training Centre of Zimbabwe consulted with the Perma-culture Trust of Botswana on how they could enhance the effectiveness and impact of its training. Both institutions were training perma-culture, a land use systems that emphasizes symbiotic relationship. Both organizations had been training for at least three years but, were uncertain about the effect and impact of their work. They decided to carry out an evaluation of their training. The evaluation revealed a discrepancy between the intention and the performance. It was concluded that perma-culture was too narrow to address the needs of the community development and that they two week training period (they offered) was too short to allow for deep comprehension and acquisition of skills by those who attended the course.

These courtship and discoveries led to intense consultations between the two institutions and with time, invited other organizations. The ideas and experiences of these experienced development workers led to the conception and eventual birth of PELUM Association. The following is the chronology of events that led to the formation of PELUM Association.
PELUM currently has a membership of over 200 members in ten countries namely Botswana, Lesotho, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

VISION AND MISSION

Pelum's Mission

PELUM’s vision is to see communities in east, central and southern Africa become self-organized to make choices towards an improved quality of life that is socially, economically and ecologically sustainable

Pelum's Mission

We are a civil society network in east, central, and southern Africa, passionate about equity, people-driven development and integrity of creation, working towards sustainable local community empowerment, food security and prosperity by facilitating learning networking and advocacy

Pelum’s Long Term Objectives

PELUM Association long-term objectives are: to build the capacity of farming and rural community groups in order to enable them accumulate ecological skills, stimulate farmer learning and inspire experimentation and innovation in their quest to achieve food security.

Pelum Strategies

In order to attain the objectives above, PELUM Association facilitates learning and networking, participatory research, capacity building information sifting and dissemination as well as lobbying and advocacy.

How Pelum Functions

HPELUM Association has a structure comprising the Regional Desk, Country Desks, Country Working Groups, Regional Board and Triennial General Meeting (TGM). The TGM is the supreme law-making body of PELUM and provides the strategic direction of the Association.

The Regional Board has the role of policy formulation and programmes direction and monitoring and ensuring that the necessary tools and resources for translating the vision of PELUM into programmes are both available and effectively and efficiently employed.
The regional Desk and the Country Desks on the other hand act as the implementing arms of the organisation. PELUM Association Regional Desk has five units, which are working together to achieve the Association overall goal. These are;