By GLORIA SIWISHA
LIMITED access to quality common bean seed for use in agricultural production, is one of the key constraints faced by smallholder farmers in Zambia.
Sambala Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Lunte District in Northern Province, has been multiplying seed to support bean production by its members.
However, its production and productivity levels remained low due to limited capacity to cultivate larger areas and to conduct field management practices on time with the available human labour.
These challenges fuelled Sambala Cooperative’s vision to own mechanisation equipment to use in their seed production business enterprise and lease-out to smallholder farmers for increased efficiency in crop production, whilst generating income for the cooperative.
The SIFAZ mechanization road shows held in Kasama in 2022, re-ignited the desire of the 230 members of Sambala cooperative, to employ mechanization in seed production to propel their business forward.
The road shows also worked at achieving appropriate business models for acquisition, creating a favourable policy environment driving adoption, and fostering private sector investment in smallholder mechanization.
“During the mechanization roadshows, farmers were exposed to various mechanization equipment available on the market. Following this event, we sat down as a cooperative, to decide on the type of machinery we would need to improve seed Production, and ensure legume seed availability in our communities,” said Henry Musonda, the mechanization chairperson of Sambala Multi-Purpose Cooperative.
As luck would have it, the Government of the Republic of Zambia, was to launch the National Agricultural Mechanization Strategy (NAMS), a move which saw Sambala Cooperative, being supported with mechanization equipment to significantly enhance farming practices in the district.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) working with the Ministry of Agriculture, facilitated the procurement of a set of machinery that was delivered to Sambala Multi-Purpose Cooperative.
“We received our mechanization machinery and equipment, in October 2024, and it included a four-wheel tractor, disc harrow, boom sprayer and a multi-crop thresher. Prior to receiving this equipment, we had purchased a diesel-powered grinding mill, and later a solar grinding mill using our resources,” Henry said.
The introduction of the state-of-the-art mechanization equipment has so far revolutionized the Cooperative’s farming operations. The development is also fostering a sense of community pride and collaboration, as cooperative members work together to achieve shared goals.
“We plan to expand legume seed multiplication from five (5) hectares to twenty-five (25) hectares in the next five (5) years, so that we become renowned seed suppliers. This is achievable as the new machinery will significantly reduce the time and labour needed for various farming activities, allowing members to plant more seed and realize higher yields and incomes for themselves,” he said.
Realizing the need to sustain the business, Sambala Multi-Purpose Cooperative partnered with private sector companies like AfriSeed and Growmore, for an enhanced collaboration to scale- up production.
These collaborations extended to mechanization companies which provided training for machine operators and knowledge-sharing workshops, ensuring that selected cooperative members could effectively use and maintain the new equipment.
“We have also employed two (2) security guards to secure the machinery and equipment. Our next plan is to erect a fence around the premises where this machinery and equipment is housed, to guarantee its complete security,” Henry said.
By embracing the right knowledge, equipment and machinery, the cooperative is headed to become a viable seed and mechanization service provider, for increased income, nutrition, and food security for smallholder farmers in Lunte District.
Indeed, the way for Sambala Multipurpose Cooperative in terms of agribusiness activities has been paved. Members acknowledge efforts of the European Union-funded SIFAZ Project, implemented by FAO in close collaboration with CIMMYT and the Ministry of Agriculture, for the progress the Cooperative has made.
