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Investing in Rural Agriculture TIDI/UCD/Self Help Africa Day Conference 25 May 2011 Dublin

Investing in Rural Agriculture TIDI/UCD/Self Help Africa Day Conference 25 May 2011 Dublin. Background. Agriculture main source of livelihood for 80% of rural Zambians Rural small-scale farmers (SSF) critical contributors to national food security

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Investing in Rural Agriculture TIDI/UCD/Self Help Africa Day Conference 25 May 2011 Dublin

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  1. Investing in Rural AgricultureTIDI/UCD/Self Help Africa Day Conference25 May 2011 Dublin

  2. Background • Agriculture main source of livelihood for 80% of rural Zambians • Rural small-scale farmers (SSF) critical contributors to national food security • Declining government investment into the sector • Heavy dependence on single crop (maize)

  3. Background • Lack of markets and weak market linkages • Erratic weather patterns, degrading soils, lack of access to finance, inputs etc • Government funded input support programme reaches only 10% of SSFs

  4. Self Help Africa Approach • Recognise role of agriculture in development and poverty reduction • 25 years experience and in-depth understanding of heterogeneity of rural SSF • Crafting strategies and implementing actions to address differences and potential

  5. Grass root actionsFarming as business model • Developing skills and local capacities • Developing entrepreneurial skills • Facilitating access to finance, agro inputs and services • Promoting value addition and facilitating market linkages

  6. Project Profiles Market Oriented Rural Enterprise project • Supported 2,500 farmers • Organised into producer groups • Trained in crop production technologies and entrepreneurship • Commodity value chains developed • Linked to markets

  7. What changed? • Improved production • Surplus crops taken to markets • Market demands improved packaging and quality • Market availability promoted crop diversification and larger yields • More income, better access to services

  8. Seed Entrepreneurship for Economic Development and Food security • Supporting 1,000 seed growers • Training to grow certifiable seed • Supporting 10 seed growers association to become viable commercial enterprises • Facilitating market linkages • Building capacity for better policy advocacy

  9. What is changing • Farmers growing seed for markets • Developing local skills and competencies for growing certifiable seed • Improving access to quality seed • Creating community based seed value chain • Improving incomes

  10. Conclusion • Investing in agriculture means more than improving food security • Catalyst for developing other sub-sectors • Enables rural communities to form enterprises based on traditional activity • Developing local skills • Rural small scale farmers have opportunity to be change agents

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