November 6, 2023
News
Agriculture drives the economy in Zambia and is the main source of income for most of the population, including refugees. Caritas Czech Republic has contributed to the agriculture sector over the years by supporting farmers in different parts of the country with agriculture knowledge, farming inputs and start-up capital.
Likonge takes up farming as a business
In 2020, Caritas Czech Republic in Zambia supported Likwashi Likonge, a group leader and one of the productive lead farmers in Likonge Village within the Mayukwayukwa agriculture camp in Kaoma district. Likonge and his group members received K10,000 in support from Caritas Czech Republic, which he invested in a poultry farming business. In the 2022 farming season, Likonge got K5000 support to produce horticultural products. He bought the necessary equipment to help him farm better. Likonge is a happy farmer who now has a good source of income as he has taken farming as a business and has enough food for himself and his family.
I have a demo plot, thanks to Caritas Czech Republic in Zambia
Muyunda Masiye is a lead farmer in Shibanga village within the Mayukwayukwa agriculture camp. In 2017, Caritas Czech Republic in Zambia supported Muyunda with start-up capital for any agricultural-related business. In the year that followed, we continued to give our assistance to Muyunda Masiye.
“In 2018, Caritas Czech Republic in Zambia helped me with agriculture inputs for the demo plot in Shibanga. This demo plot has benefited me and the community members as they visit it to learn about different farming techniques I teach them,” Muyunda says.
In the 2022 season, Muyunda received farming inputs such as Mbereshi beans, organic fertiliser and some money for buying sweet potato vines. With this support, he now has a good source of income and enough food for home consumption and has gained more agricultural knowledge.
I’m now a farmer, thanks to Caritas Czech Republic in Zambia
“I appreciate the support the Caritas Czech Republic in Zambia has provided me as it has increased my source of income, healthy food for my family and increased my knowledge in agriculture. It has helped me realise my dream of taking up farming as a business,” says Webby Ngushi.
Webby Ngushi is a refugee from Angola and one of the potential lead farmers in the Mayukwayukwa agriculture camp. Thanks to our support, he is now a farmer who has ventured into fish farming, beekeeping, horticultural production, animal production as well as production of cereal crops.
In 2016, Caritas Czech Republic supported Ngushi with five bee hives, which helped him start his beekeeping business. In the 2019 season, we provided him with 3,500 fingerlings, which enabled him to create a fish farming business. In the year 2022, Ngushi received sweet potato vines, Mbereshi beans and cash assistance which he used to buy four goats, five village chickens, vegetable seeds such as tomatoes, rape and Chinese cabbage, a watering can, a knapsack sprayer and gumboots.
Caritas Czech Republic continues to support farmers in Zambia
Caritas Czech Republic has worked on various projects to support Zambian farmers in its ten years in Zambia. One of our key areas of focus has been climate change adaptation. Caritas Czech Republic has provided pieces of training to farmers on sustainable farming practices that can help them mitigate the impact of climate change.
In addition to climate change adaptation, we have assisted farmers in accessing farming inputs. We have also supported farmers in value addition and market access and trained them on post-harvest handling and processing techniques to improve the quality of their produce and increase their marketability. To support them further, we have facilitated market linkages between farmers and potential buyers, such as agribusinesses and cooperatives, to ensure farmers have a market for their products.
