Women add value to crops

A project in Zambia giving women skills in farming, food production and processing, and in financial management, is helping to improve the quality of life of their children and the whole community.

Subsistence farming is the main source of income in Chibombo district, Zambia, providing for basic necessities. However, due to poor seed quality and farming methods and lack of access to markets, families find it hard to produce enough even in the best growing periods. As a result, there is often food insecurity, malnutrition in children and a low level of school attendance.

One popular alternative for women is beer brewing. But their customers are mainly local men spending from their household incomes, and lack of access to credit facilities means the women cannot scale up their businesses to improve their cash flow.

Plan’s strategy for improving child health and education is to increase women’s income and business skills. Plan helped women in Chibombo district to increase agricultural production, trained them in farming techniques and provided them with good quality seed.

Women formed a group to take decisions on which crops to grow and how to distribute the harvest. Plan also provided training in food preservation and processing, and gave the group food processing equipment.

The project has been a huge success, with groups producing cooking oil, peanut butter and preserves from various seasonal crops. The produce ensures a regular source of nutritious food for their children. Any surplus is sold by the group and the profits shared amongst them. Women have also used by-products like sunflower cakes as stock feed in their chicken-rearing projects.

One women’s club has started a group savings and credit scheme. Members save money in a bank account, and can borrow money at an agreed interest rate. An advantage of the scheme is that the women have total control over the income they are earning, which has given them self-confidence and earned them the respect of the men of the community.

Mukalashi women’s club Chairperson Susan Kachinka said, “Children now look healthier. We are able to make milk, coffee, flour, hemp and soap from soya beans. We have made significant savings on our household income. I am confident of looking after my family despite poor harvests from this year’s crops.”