The smallholder farmers in the dioceses have been having limited returns on their investments. This has been mainly due to a number of reasons including the type of crops cultivated that are usually of low value. Uncertainty with respect to inputs and output markets influence smallholders’ decisions about crops, technology adoption, input use and productivity, and usually most smallholder farmers place more emphasis on producing enough staple food for home consumption. However, most staple foods are of low value in terms of returns. Moreover, lack of access to good markets, partially exacerbated by poor roads and transport networks, has resulted in the smallholder farmers to become very vulnerable to “briefcase buyers” who take advantage of the situation and buy the farmers’ produce at much lower prices than they would get at good markets. This affects the returns on the farmers’ produce. Livestock production in these areas is also very low due to a host factors such diseases. Consequently, the livelihoods of the people in these areas have been severely hampered.
Therefore, the Sustainable Livelihood Sub Programme seek to improve the returns on the farmers’ produce through promoting and encouraging conservation farming and improved management practices among smallholder farmers. The sub programme will also provide farmers with livestock and training in livestock production. In addition, Caritas Zambia will facilitate the formation of farmer groups, which are intended to strengthen the farmer’s voice to lobby the government on agricultural issues and sourcing of farming inputs and bargain for economic prices for their produce. Besides research and policy analysis on agriculture issues, advocacy activities will be undertaken to influence pro-poor agriculture and development policies. The operational objective for this sub programme is as follows:
Operational Objective 1:
To promote the utilisation of sustainable agricultural methods among small scale farmers in all dioceses by end of 2011
Therefore, the Sustainable Livelihood Sub Programme seek to improve the returns on the farmers’ produce through promoting and encouraging conservation farming and improved management practices among smallholder farmers. The sub programme will also provide farmers with livestock and training in livestock production. In addition, Caritas Zambia will facilitate the formation of farmer groups, which are intended to strengthen the farmer’s voice to lobby the government on agricultural issues and sourcing of farming inputs and bargain for economic prices for their produce. Besides research and policy analysis on agriculture issues, advocacy activities will be undertaken to influence pro-poor agriculture and development policies. The operational objective for this sub programme is as follows:
Operational Objective 1:
To promote the utilisation of sustainable agricultural methods among small scale farmers in all dioceses by end of 2011
