Cassava farmers in Mansa embark on over 2,000 … farmers in Mansa embark on seed multiplication to...

Cassava farmers in Mansa embark on seed multiplication to meet demand

Namwala dairy farmer invests in improved dairy breeds to maximise profits

Manshya River milling plant to impact over 2,000 outgrowers

4TH QUARTER 2017Musika1

Dear reader,

The year 2017 was exciting for Musika as we made significant in-roads with various interventions implemented in the Northern region of the country. This is an area that was prioritised due to the low level of agribusinesses investing in the region, despite the high growth potential.

With the cassava market receiving a boost with the presence of a ready market for the crop in Luapula Province, it is gratifying to note that a business opportunity has arisen for farmers that planted the improved varieties to also become suppliers of cassava cuttings or as seed multipliers.

A deliberate effort was also made to introduce mechanised services, through an agrodealer, in isolated areas of Mansa district where such services had never existed before. This action alone gave more women, mostly cassava growers, an opportunity to expand their fields.

Overall, Musika recorded over a 50% increase in women accessing mechanised services in the last quarter of 2017, with about 1,600 women farmers purchasing shelling/threshing services from 18 new agricultural contractors compared to 1,000 women farmers which had only 10 agricultural contractors recorded in the same quarter in 2016.

Another milestone was the launch of the first maize and soya bean milling plant in Shiwan’gandu district towards the close of 2017, which was also a great boost in creating opportunities for growth for smallholder farmers in the north. We anticipate a rise in the number of agribusinesses investing in the area, as the demand for productivity-enhancing inputs by farmers increases.

As we enter into the new year, and as part of our future strategy, Musika will build upon the successes achieved in 2017 and focus more on improving the range of production options available to smallholders in order to enhance income and reduce multiple risks including those presented by climate change.

With best wishes,

Reuben Banda

A message from the Managing Director

Musika is a Zambian non-profit company that stimulates and supports

private sector investment in the smallholder market.

VISION

Our vision is a dynamic Zambian agricultural market that works for all stakeholders and in particular the rural poor.

MISSION STATEMENT

To provide world class business development services to Zambia’s agricultural markets to deepen and broaden the impact of economic growth to all levels of rural society.

OUR STRATEGIC GOAL

Musika aims to “reduce rural poverty through integrating farming households in well-functioning agricultural markets”.

Musika is owned and managed by Zambians, developing home-grown solutions for the Zambian market.

CONTACT MUSIKA

+260 211 253 989 +260 211 250 355

(Fax) +260 211 255 502

6, Tukuluho Road, Long Acres Post Net No. 481, Private Bag E891

Lusaka, Zambia

www.musika.org.zm

CREATIVE AGENCY

Layout and Design by Mantis Trade and Investments (Z) Ltd

Creative Division+260 212 730 [email protected]

First Published in March 2014 by MUSIKA© All rights reserved.

Making Agricultural Markets Work for Zambia

Funded by Sweden

4TH QUARTER 2017 Musika 2

Inside this

editionManaging Director’s message 1

Chief Liteta empowers subjects with land rights

2

Cassava farmers in Mansa embark on seed multiplication to

meet demand

3

Female tractor service provider determined to mechanise smallholder production

4

LVSCC helps to boost small livestock production

5


6

Exposure visit to Southern Province opens up Eastern Chiefs

to new ideas7

Bamboo outgrower scheme creates opportunities for diversification

8

Namwala dairy farmer invests in improved dairy breeds to

maximise profits

9

Agrodealer provides a ‘last mile’ distribution channel for inputs

10

Mechanised tillage services bring renewed hope to a widowed farmer

11

COVER PICTURE: A farmer waits for his cattle to undergo spraying at a Musika supported spray-

race in Ngabo area on the banks of Namwala river in Southern Province.

BACK COVER PICTURE: Theresa Zulu on her tractor. Page 4 story.

His Royal Highness Chief Liteta of the Lenje speaking people issued out over 160 ‘land certificates’,

otherwise known as ParcelCerts, as demonstration of his commitment to economically empower his subjects.

Speaking during the signing ceremony held in Chibombo District on Friday 24th November 2017, Chief Liteta explained that the ParcelCerts will not only assist in resolving land disputes that are prevalent in the area, but will help to attract private sector investment especially by agribusinesses to the region.

“I want my people to know the value of having their land documented so that they can benefit from the economic development taking place in other chiefdoms like Mbeza, in Southern Province, where Musika took me and other chiefs from Eastern Province on a learning visit,” he said.

Chief Liteta explained that the ParcelCerts would give his subjects the confidence to invest and engage in economic activities that will attract delivery of products and services from agribusinesses at their doorstep. One of the recipients, 48-year-old Gertrude Kamilo of Mwachisompola village, had her 1ha piece of land surveyed and documented by Medeem at a fee of K650. She explained that the ParcelCert helps to empower vulnerable women and

Chief Liteta empowers subjects with land rights

By Pamela Hamasaka – Head Corporate Affairs

secure their livelihood especially now that land was on high demand.

I can now upgrade my two-roomed house to a bigger house with roofing sheets and build additional rooms for rent. I also want to expand my garden and start a poultry business. Even if I died today, I am sure that my children’s future is secured,” she pointed out.

The ParcelCerts were processed by Medeem Zambia Limited, a company that works to make the land rights documentation process more affordable and accessible by everyone, including women and smallholder farmers occupying customary land.

In 2014, Musika provided Medeem with both logistical and technical assistance in scaling up its operations to the ‘’lower end’ of the market in chiefdoms located in Southern, Central and Lusaka Provinces.

To date, Medeem has issued over 5000 ParcelCerts in the agriculture sector, and is rapidly gaining traction among chiefs interested in bringing the innovation to their areas. With Musika support, the company intends to further extend its primary operations by recruiting and building capacity of local agents to help increase ParcelCert sales across multiple chiefdoms.

Gertrude Kamilo of Mwachisompola village was among those that received individual land certificates from Chief Liteta during the ParcelCert signing ceremony.


The increasing demand for improved cassava varieties in Mansa district of Luapula Province, is creating an income opportunity for farmers who are establishing themselves as seed multipliers

and suppliers.

The stable market provided by GroAfrica, a company that buys cassava on behalf of Zambian Breweries, is credited for the shift in attitude by farmers who previously grew the crop for home consumption but are now turning it into a commercial crop.

Peter Mushanshiko, 56, is one of those exploiting the unmet demand by farmers for improved cassava planting materials.In 2016, he grew the improved Mweru variety and has started harvesting the stems to make cuttings for sale at a profit. From the 2ha field, Mushanshiko managed to harvest 120 bags of cassava cuttings in 2017 and sold each of them at K20.

This was the first time I sold cuttings and earned such a high amount of K2,400. I’m excited and I plan to expand my field as the demand for cuttings continues to rise among fellow farmers who are convinced that the variety is of high quality,” he explained.

According to Mushanshiko, the improved variety matures early between 12 to 18 months compared to the traditional variety that took three years before famers could begin to harvest and sell the crop.

In September 2016, Musika supported GroAfrica Limited and Zambian Breweries to provide a reliable market for the crop, coupled with the provision of extension service support, aimed at

improving household incomes for smallholder cassava growers.

As a result of Musika’s logistical and technical support, GroAfrica has established a network of 26 aggregation centres around four districts in Luapula Province.

The company is working with over 4,500 farmers, 33 per cent of whom are female, and purchased 1,900 tonnes of cassava during the third quarter of 2017 compared to 800 tonnes bought in 2015/16 season.

Zambian Breweries uses the cassava in the production of its affordable Eagle Lager beer, a move that has provided a reliable market for the crop.

Cassava farmers in Mansa embark on seed multiplication to meet demand

By Gift Chanda, Communications Officer

Peter Mushanshiko (Right) gets advice from GroAfrica’s extension officer

Mushanshiko harvesting his cassava cuttings


Female tractor service provider determined to mechanise smallholder production

By James Luhana, Operations Manager – Input, Service & Finance Markets

Theresa Zulu, a resident of Chinunda area located about 82 kilometres from Chipata town, is the only female tractor service provider in her community. A beneficiary

of NWK Agriservices’ (NWK) farm mechanisation program, she has positively impacted 130 smallholder farmers accessing her services.

From 1998, Zulu was engaged by NWK as an input distributor and local agent for the cotton company where she managed a

Theresa Zulu supervising the shelling of maize using her tractor

100 percent loan recovery programme for over 350 cotton farmers. This exceptional performance enabled the company to recommend her for a four-year tractor loan facility including a ripper, a trailer and planter in 2015.

With support from her husband, Joseph Zulu, their farming enterprise has expanded from 7ha of crop production in 2015 to 47ha in the 2016/2017 farming season due to mechanisation. Her clients’ production levels have equally increased to over 10ha from the previous 2 to 4ha. In addition to tillage services she also uses the tractor to offer shelling services.

Zulu was trained in 2014 by Musika and NWK in business management, record keeping and monitoring of the tractor operator. The growth and profitability of the business was critical in ensuring that enough income was generated to service the loan.

The training held in Katete opened my eyes in ensuring that every tractor movement counts in terms of fuel consumption and loss in value or depreciation of the tractor. So I’ve learnt to fully assess the market before a service is provided,” she explained.

Zulu observes the low participation by women in the cotton sector and plans to establish an outgrower scheme focusing on crops such as groundnuts and beans, by leveraging on her vast experience with the NWK Agriservices farmer network to whom she provides tractor services. Theresa Zulu on her tractor


Traditionally, most smallholder farmers perceive cattle rearing as a measure of wealth in the community.

However, Backson Kalinda holds a contrary view after realising that it was more profitable to rear small livestock such as sheep and goats if properly managed. His efforts have been supported by Livestock and Veterinary Services Consult Centre (LVSCC), a veterinary company, currently servicing over 5,000 livestock farmers in Kabwe, Kapiri, Chisamba and Chibombo districts.

Kalinda lives in Jim village located 90 kilometres east of Kabwe district and has been rearing livestock since 2000 but with limited knowledge on disease prevention, lack of access to vet drugs and extension services which resulted in a high mortality rate.

However, the training in basic veterinary services and access to vet drugs within the community by LVSCC since 2016, has helped to rapidly multiply his herd of sheep. To date, Kalinda is able to sell 180 sheep in batches of 60 every fourth months, raising an income of about K90,000.00 annually.

LVSCC helps to boost small livestock production

By Cholwe Kagoli, Operations Manager – Central & Dean Lihonde, Operations Manager - Livestock

Backson Kalinda with his herd of goats and sheep

When LVSCC first came to our area I only had 20 goats, 200 sheep and 29 cows but this has increased to 60 goats, 400 sheep, and 42 cattle,” he explained.

Kalinda attributes his success to LVSCC which helped him to increase his investment in the small livestock sector as a lucrative business. He invests his income in buying fertiliser and seed, vet drugs for the rest of the livestock including cattle, and has embarked on the construction of livestock infrastructure on the farm. He plans to buy new boar goats and sheep to prevent in-breeding.

With Musika support, LVSCC’s operations have rapidly expanded since 2012 when it established the first four livestock service centres (LSC) in Chishinka, Muchinga, Mafita and Kampumba areas for the aggregation and delivery of livestock services such as dipping, deworming, vaccinations and as sites for conducting farmer trainings.

The decision to engage and train contact farmers or agents as community livestock

workers or assistants to meet the increasing demand for services helped to strengthen the company’s delivery system.

Over the years, the LVSCC has employed Vet Assistants and a Facilitator that utilise the Musika supported vehicle and two motorbikes to scale up and increase efficiency in extension service delivery.

It’s role in reducing incidences of livestock diseases has helped to change the farmer’s mind-set of being reactive to diseases to implementing a herd health program as a preventative measure.

The training programmes have also equipped communities with knowledge and skills to manage the LSCs, with technical guidance from LVSCC staff. Out of the current 32 communities, 20 took up the initiative to build their own crush pens to facilitate service provision.

“We now have less Livestock service centre management issues with the farmer communities because they have taken ownership of these interventions,” said Dr Lydia the manager at LVSCC.


For the very first time in 16 years of being a farmer, Grace Mubanga who lives in Lwanya village located in

Shiwan’gandu district, was not worried about finding a reliable market for her maize. The establishment of a milling plant in the district by Manshya River Enterprises Limited, a subsidiary of C&J Harvey Farms, provided a ready market for both maize and soya crop for smallholder farmers under an outgrower scheme arrangement.

The forty-year-old mother of six supplied 10 tonnes of maize, the highest amount supplied by a female farmer during the 2016/2017 marketing season, earning her an income of K12,000.

“This is the first time I’m handling such a large sum of money at once. I decided to invest it in a shop and used part of it to build a better house with iron sheets,” she said.

From the time the milling plant was launched on 9th October 2017, about 164 farmers supplied their maize to Manshya River amounting to 190.4MT.

Manshya River partnered with seed, fertiliser, and agrochemical companies to equip farmers with technical knowledge in basic crop management through the respective company’s extension staff, in order to increase their yield to meet the milling plant’s capacity.

The milling plant, which was the first of its kind in Muchinga Province, was set to benefit over 2,000 smallholder farmers from Shiwan’gandu, Mpika and Chinsali Districts. Speaking at the launch of the plant, Manshya River Director Charles Harvey explained that about K265,000 in income was paid out into the community by October, 2018. The mill had also contributed to lowering the price of the staple food from K120 in the previous year to K60 per bag for consumer markets in Shiwangandu, Chinsali, Kasama, and Mpika Districts.

“We want to make the province self-sufficient in terms of production of maize


By Jasiel Sakala, Operations Manager – Muchinga & Pamela Hamasaka – Head Corporate Affairs

for human consumption and soya beans for production of feed for livestock. Our moto is grow, buy, process and sell locally so that the money circulates within the community,” he said.

In his remarks, Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary Mr Bright Nundwe emphasised the need for farmers to diversify their production and take advantage of the abundant rainfall that the area receives annually. He urged farmers to fully utilise the technical information provided by the input companies in order to increase their

productivity.

It is time for the people of Shiwan’gandu to positively think of agriculture by diversifying into livestock rearing, fish farming, and growing cassava, millet, soya beans, groundnuts apart from just growing maize,” he explained.

Musika’s support to Manshya River was aimed at increasing the company’s ability to procure larger volumes of crop which would trigger a rise in production of maize and soya beans by smallholder farmers.

Mr Nundwe is assisted by Musika Operations Manager for Muchinga Province, Jasiel Sakala, as he displays a 25kg bag of breakfast mealie-meal produced by Manshya River under the Shiwa Milling brand.

Muchinga Province Permanent Secretary, Bright Nundwe (Second from the left) takes a tour of the Manshya River milling plant accompanied by Musika Director of Finance, Victor Mushala (In white shirt).


As part of an initiative to support traditional leaders’ involvement in agricultural development in Zambia, Musika organised an exposure visit for Eastern Province chiefs to

Southern Province to help them understand the various market opportunities available, and the need for them to create an enabling environment for the private sector to invest in rural areas.

The five chiefs included Senior Chief Madzimawe, Chief Mbang’ombe, Chief Ndake, Chieftainess Mkanda and Chieftainess Kawaza.

The visit was orgainised in collaboration with the Zambia Centre for Communications Programme (ZCCP) who facilitated the participation of additional chiefs including Senior Chief Nkula and Chieftainess Nawaitwika from Muchinga Province, Chief Liteta from Central Province, Chieftainess Choongo and Chieftainess Mwenda from Southern Province.

During the visit that took place between 4th and 10th October 2017, the chiefs witnessed the level of private sector investment and engagement, through Musika linkages, that resulted in improved crop production and food security in Chikanta Chiefdom of Kalomo District, and improved beef and dairy production in Mbeza Chiefdom and Mungaila area of Namwala District.

We have realised that we need to look beyond the government for solutions to our problems and consider the private sector as solution providers. This visit has opened us up to new ideas that we want to replicate where we are coming from,” delegation leader, Senior Chief Madzimawa said.

Exposure visit to Southern Province opens up Eastern Chiefs to new ideas

By Gift Chanda, Communications Officer

Traditional leaders pose for a photo after touring Bright Chisamba’s dairy farm in Namwala. Chisamba is linked to Parmalat, where he sells his milk.

At the end of the visit, Musika facilitated follow up meetings between the chiefs and selected companies in Lusaka including Vet24, SeedCo, Parmalat and BASF.

Musika recognises the role that traditional leaders play in fostering growth of the agricultural sector. As key stakeholders in rural economic development, the exposure visit highlighted the need for Chiefs to provide leadership in their respective chiefdoms and create a conducive environment for private sector investment.

Traditional leaders witness the spraying exercise at a Musika supported spray-race in Ngabo area on the banks of the Namwala river in Southern Province. The spray-race services over 300 cattle on a weekly basis.


Mukuwa harvesting okra in his garden

Bamboo outgrower scheme creates opportunities for diversification

By Mainecy Hampeyo, Regional Manager – Lusaka Region

In 2015, Albida Agriculture introduced a bamboo outgrower scheme in Chongwe District supported by Musika. The scheme was meant to assist in reforestation of land devastated by the

indiscriminate cutting down of trees for charcoal production which is driven by the high demand from urban areas.

Gastone Mukuwa, a forty-year-old farmer living in Chimbwete village, in Chongwe district was one of the beneficiaries who first planted 100 bamboo seedlings on a 1lima plot. Because the bamboo needed five years for it to mature, Albida Agriculture encouraged farmers to have an alternative source of income by planting soya beans in between the 10 metre spaces between the bamboo trees, and provided the seed on loan. The soya beans was also important for fixing nitrogen back into the soil.

During the first season, Mukuwa harvested 0.65 tonnes of soya beans with Albida Agriculture providing a ready market for the crop. The income raised encourage him to expand his bamboo plantation to 3lima in the 2016/2017 season, and planted 2ha of soya beans which gave him a harvest of 2.6ha valued at K9,100.

I used to mainly plant maize which was less profitable compared to soya beans. Last marketing season, the price of soya beans on the market was K1.40 per kg but Albida was buying at K4 per kg which was earlier agreed,” he said.

Mukuwa has invested his income raised from the production of soya beans into vegetable gardening and pigs for sale. As a long term investment, he anticipates an income of K15,000 per month from the bamboo plantation once the trees mature.

“The bamboo outgrower scheme has inspired me and many other farmers to join because there is a ready market provided by Albida for the soya beans and the bamboo once the trees are fully grown,” he pointed out.Mukuwa in his bamboo field


47-year-old Humphrey Nyembezhi Mayonda who lives in Mukobela Chiefdom of Namwala District, is a

proud owner of 72 improved dairy animals with 22 of these giving him a daily supply of between 200 to 400 litres of milk per day which he supplies to Parmalat.

This earns him an income of about K47,000 per month.

‘’For me, dairy farming is a gold mine which comes with a lot of benefits,” he emphasised.

The rapid growth of Mayonda’s enterprise was triggered by the establishment of five milk collection centres (MCC) in different communities within Namawala District by Parmalat in 2013, with Musika support.

In addition to increasing access to an improved market, the support from Musika also provided for knowledge transfer and provision of extension services aimed at

Namwala dairy farmer invests in improved dairy breeds to maximise profits

By Enock Siankwilimba -Operations Manager - Southern Region

improving the productivity of smallholder herds, resulting in increased household income.

Being a predominantly beef production area, farmers in Namwala heavily depend on their beef animals for milk whose yields were generally low.

Initially, Parmalat would collect only 300 litres of milk every three days from Namwala milk collection centre, so in 2016 the company almost shut it down. But things have changed for the better with farmers like Mayonda,” explained Kande Machila, a milk attendant at the MCC.

Mayonda started his dairy business in 2013, by investing in three in-calf Friesian cows with each cow producing about 25 litres of milk per day and earning him an income of K9,000 per month. Seeing the benefits, he expanded the herd to the

Mayonda and his wife with their herd of dairy animals

current 72 improved dairy animals which includes Friesian crosses.

He currently employs nine farm workers who are supervised by his two wives that are in charge of the milking and general operations of the farm. He has plans to invest in 1,500 litre milk tank and employ a qualified manager to run his dairy farming enterprise.

‘’I am urging my fellow farmers to invest into diary animals if they want to be successful and have more milk throughout the year,” Mayonda proudly pointed-out.

The MCC intervention in Namwala has increased demand for Artificial Insemination (AI) services as more and more farmers recognise its potential to transform their cattle into high milk producing herds. Part of the income raised from milk is also being invested into AI for beef animals, which was cheaper that buying a pure bred bull.


Agrodealer provides a ‘last mile’ distribution channel for inputs

By Gift Chanda, Communications Officer and Charles Musonda, Operations Manager - Output & Environment Markets.

Rodgers Chongo runs a small business in Mwantalasha village located approximately 23km from Chongwe

town called Cho Agrodealers since 2015.

His business plays a critical role in the agricultural supply chain as a ‘last mile’ distributor of products and service provider within the community.

Through his outlet, Chongo sells hybrid seed, fertiliser and agrochemicals as an agent for agricultural inputs distributed by Pioneer DuPont and SeedCo, Omnia Fertilisers, and ATS Agrochemicals among others.

He was recently trained by ATS as a Spray Service Provider (SSP) in the community and is a promoter of ‘safe use’ messages.

In February 2017, VITALITE, with the support of Musika, tested a digital agriculture information dissemination model for smallholder farmers to help bridge the information gap using a solar-powered digital television (TV) set.

Chongo was among those selected to participate in the pilot. The concept of the digital TV as a channel of disseminating agriculture information emanated from the scarcity of effective and appropriate technical information that farmers can utilise to improve their farming enterprises.

For the past two seasons, Chongo has managed to grow his business and has expanded his operations to Rufunsa District and currently employs four people. During the same period, he qualified to participate in the FISP E-Voucher initiative as an approved agrodealer and constructed a shed for storing inputs and aggregating crop during the 2017/2018 farming season.

Musika believes that the small rural business can play a critical role in the agricultural supply chain, either as a first-level aggregator of commodity, a ‘last mile’ distributor of products and/or a service provider within rural communities.

During the last quarter of 2017, a total of 158 additional points of market access to both improved crop and livestock output markets, using rural aggregators, were established in the smallholder market, bringing the total to 624 that have been

established since 2012. This opened up opportunities for over 15,500 smallholder farmers that sold various commodities into improved output markets during the last quarter of 2017.

Rodgers Chongo attends to farmers in his agroshop

A farmer after buying inputs from Cho Agrodealer


Sophia Malafu who lives in Mabamba area of Mansa district could not hide her excitement as she watched a tractor hand at work in her field.

For the very first time, she will be able to fully utilise her 4ha piece of land for maize and cassava production during the 2017/2018 farming season.

It would have taken me over a month to cultivate this portion that will only take a day to prepare. Hiring the tractor from Mulestus has also turned out to be cheaper than hiring people using hand hoes,” said Malafu.

The 75-year-old widow had always depended on members of her household for labour since 1972. However, the demise of her husband and six out of ten of her older children, coupled with her advanced age, meant that she had no option but to reduce the size of her field to less than a hectare.

“It was easier to work on the farm when my husband and

Mechanised tillage services bring renewed hope to a widowed farmer

By Pamela Hamasaka – Head Corporate Affairs

Sofia Malafu stands in her field with the tillage service provider Mulenga Sichilima as the tractor prepares her cassava field.

children were all around. But now I live alone with my little grandchildren left behind by my six children who passed away. The other four have moved and are settled in town,” she said.

One of the key challenges affecting the productivity of smallholder farmers is late land preparation and planting, which is compounded by the dependence on manual labour and the scarcity of animal draft power, especially in the northern region.

The tractor support given to Mulestus, an agrodealer, by Musika in September 2017 introduced tillage service provision in isolated areas of Mansa district where such services had never existed before. The demand for the service continues to rise especially among female farmers, and has increased the number of women participation.

By November 2017, at total of 67 hectares for 28 farmers were serviced at a fee of K800 per hectare. During the same period, 11 farmers had made an upfront payment for a total of 30 hectares. With Mulestus providing inputs such as seed, fertiliser, and extension support.

4TH QUARTER 2017 Musika

Making Agricultural Markets Work for Zambia

+260 211 253 989, +260 211 250 355, (Fax) +260 211 255 5026, Tukuluho Road, Long Acres, Post Net No. 481, Private Bag E891

Lusaka, Zambia

www.musika.org.zm

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