Challenges
Investment in women
Investment in the rural community
Investment in the rural community
Despite their crucial role in agriculture, women farmers are often neglected by policy makers, face gender discrimination, and are disproportionately affected by poverty and hunger.
Investment in the rural community
Investment in the rural community
Investment in the rural community
Poor Road networks, limited access to potential markets in cities, and insufficient access to water for irrigation hinder the development of rural areas.
Market knowledge and skills
Investment in the rural community
Market knowledge and skills
Farming goes beyond production; successful agricultural operations require business management and marketing skills to ensure farmers' products reach the market effectively.
Infrastructure
Training and informative materials
Market knowledge and skills
Inadequate food storage facilities, pose challenges to farmers in preserving their produce.
Training and informative materials
Training and informative materials
Training and informative materials
Access to training and educational resources is essential for farmers to adopt sustainable and effective farming practices.
Target Audience
Women
Youth out of school
Youth In School
NADPZ is dedicated to empowering rural women, who are the primary beneficiaries. While men are also allowed to participate to some extent, the focus remains on addressing the specific challenges faced by women, particularly in small-scale farming. Women lack access to resources such as land titles, banking services, and information.
They
NADPZ is dedicated to empowering rural women, who are the primary beneficiaries. While men are also allowed to participate to some extent, the focus remains on addressing the specific challenges faced by women, particularly in small-scale farming. Women lack access to resources such as land titles, banking services, and information.
They shoulder the responsibilities of farming and household work, struggling to afford seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides while providing for their families. The co-operative union aims to support women farmers by pooling resources, increasing their income, and improving their household status.
Youth In School
Youth out of school
Youth In School
Introducing the MAWOFA Community school, constructed in 2015 by NADPZ with the support of Shumei International. This school currently serves 120 students ranging from nursery to grade 6, providing crucial education in rural Africa. By investing in small-scale farmers, the school equips them with agricultural knowledge and skills to enhanc
Introducing the MAWOFA Community school, constructed in 2015 by NADPZ with the support of Shumei International. This school currently serves 120 students ranging from nursery to grade 6, providing crucial education in rural Africa. By investing in small-scale farmers, the school equips them with agricultural knowledge and skills to enhance practices, increase productivity, and break the cycle of poverty. Education also opens doors to diverse careers such as healthcare, engineering, and entrepreneurship, benefiting individuals and communities alike.
Moreover, the community school fosters innovation, promotes sustainable practices, and facilitates knowledge-sharing among farmers, creating a positive and lasting impact on the community and beyond. Join us in transforming lives through education at MAWOFA Community school.
Youth out of school
Youth out of school
Youth out of school
The Kabeta Technical Training Centre, established in January 2020, caters to out-of-school youth aged 18 to 25. Its primary objective is to equip young individuals with vocational skills like carpentry, welding, sewing, cooking, and more, enabling them to generate income for themselves and their families. Additionally, the center emphasiz
The Kabeta Technical Training Centre, established in January 2020, caters to out-of-school youth aged 18 to 25. Its primary objective is to equip young individuals with vocational skills like carpentry, welding, sewing, cooking, and more, enabling them to generate income for themselves and their families. Additionally, the center emphasizes environmental awareness as a crucial element for fostering self-sustainability and personal growth.
Through the Kabeta Technical Training Centre, NADPZ seeks to promote small-scale agriculture as a viable career choice for young people. By doing so, they aim to reduce rural-urban migration and increase the number of small-scale entrepreneurs in the region.
Methodology & Implementation
Partnership
Implementation
Partnership
In 2004, Shumei International partnered with the Mbabala Women Farmers' Co-operative Union to introduce Natural Agriculture, an ecological and cost-effective farming approach. Through this collaboration, the project aimed to enhance the livelihoods of small-scale farmers in Zambia by promoting sustainable land management practices.
Approach
Implementation
Partnership
Natural Agriculture involves using indigenous seeds, practicing seed saving, cultivating soil naturally, and maintaining the ecosystem balance without pesticides or herbicides. The project placed great importance on respecting local traditions and the environment, while striving to increase crop yields, reduce dependence on agro-chemicals, and safeguard biodiversity for future generations.
Implementation
Implementation
Demonstration Farmers
NADPZ implemented the Natural Agriculture methodology, which included key practices such as early planting, mulching, biodiversity cropping, seed saving, and integrating cultural and indigenous knowledge. These practices aimed to optimise water availability, conserve soil moisture, improve climate change adaptation, reduce reliance on purchased seeds, and utilize traditional wisdom to respond to climate realities.
Demonstration Farmers
Indigenous Seed & Seed Saving
Demonstration Farmers
Demonstration farms were established with, twenty farm families. These families were engaged in cultivating various crops such as maize, peanuts, rape (an indigenous green vegetable), chives, onions, cabbages, and tomatoes using the principles of Natural Agriculture. The purpose of the demonstration farm was and still is to showcase the resilience of native crops in the face of changing weather conditions and their ability to withstand diseases. This initiative highlights the effectiveness of Natural Agriculture and its potential for sustainable farming practices.
Early Planting & Mulching
Indigenous Seed & Seed Saving
Indigenous Seed & Seed Saving
Early Planting: Farmers are trained to plant their crops promptly to take advantage of the available rainfall. With changing weather patterns, early planting ensures that crops receive the maximum benefit from sporadic rain patterns. This practice helps to optimise water availability for the crops.
Mulching: We promote the practice of mulching to enhance crop growth and protect against drought. Mulching involves covering crops with dry leaves and grass, which helps retain soil moisture. It has proven effective in controlling erosion. By conserving water, preventing erosion, and maintaining organic matter, mulching contributes to increased crop production while preserving resources and the environment.
In natural agriculture, mulching is emphasised both after planting and after harvesting because it plays a vital role in reducing topsoil erosion, and the plant materials used for mulching are later incorporated into the soil as natural compost during planting, enriching the nutrient content of the soil.
Indigenous Seed & Seed Saving
Indigenous Seed & Seed Saving
Indigenous Seed & Seed Saving
We focus on utilising indigenous seeds due to their adaptability to local weather extremes because, the genetic makeup of the seeds, makes them better suited to cope with changing environmental conditions.
By teaching farmers seed harvesting methods, the need to purchase seeds for the following season is eliminated, making it cost-effective for impoverished rural farmers. The training for seed saving is conducted in April/May when farmers harvest the Natural Agriculture demonstration maize field. During this training, a trainer guides farmers through the seed collection and storage process.
Community Participation
NATURAL AGRICULTURE SHOW
NATURAL AGRICULTURE SHOW
The Natural Agriculture Show organized by NADPZ serves as a platform for farmers and community members to come together, exchange knowledge, and learn from each other. This event was initiated to address the lack of communication and isolation among neighbouring farmers in sharing farming practices. The Natural Agriculture Show has now become an annual three-day event that involves the entire community and encompasses various activities.
NATURAL AGRICULTURE SHOW
NATURAL AGRICULTURE SHOW
NATURAL AGRICULTURE SHOW
The event promotes community engagement and participation through activities like football, netball, athletics, and cultural performances involving song and dance. These activities foster a sense of unity and create a vibrant atmosphere for community members to interact and celebrate together.
NATURAL AGRICULTURE SHOW
The highlight of the Natural Agriculture Show is the display of Natural Agriculture produce. This showcase provides an opportunity for project members to educate the community about the benefits of Natural Agriculture farming. It serves as a platform for farmers to exhibit their crops, share their experiences, and demonstrate the results of implementing Natural Agriculture methods. By showcasing the produce, NADPZ aims to raise awareness and encourage the adoption of sustainable farming practices in the community.
The event also attracts the participation of traditional and local leaders. Dignitaries such as the Chief, Headmen, Mayor, District Commissioner and Members of Parliament attend the Natural Agriculture Show as guests of honour because NADPZ recognises the value of traditional knowledge in shaping adaptation strategies at the local level and the participation of the local leaders is the foundation of achieving the results required.
Their presence also symbolises the importance and support given to sustainable agriculture practices in the community. Additionally, councillors and government conservation officers actively participate in the event as judges for the selection of the best produce and community performances, adding credibility to the event and recognising outstanding achievements in Natural Agriculture farming.
By incorporating cultural and indigenous practices into agricultural methods, farmers can better respond to new climate realities. This may involve adjusting planting times or adopting specific techniques based on traditional wisdom.
Contact Us
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Natural Agriculture Development Program Zambia
54 KM Choma - Namwala Road, Southern, Zambia
Barbara Hachipuka Banda Project Coordinator E-mail: barbarabanda@nadpz.org barbarahachipukabanda@gmail.com Tel:+26 097 9 299705
Hours
Open today | 09:00 – 17:00 |
