Zambia Agribusiness Society

After new-born piglets are born, soak the navel of each piglet in an iodine solution to prevent inflammation (omalitis). The piglets should also be aided by putting them onto the udder of their mother. They need to suck from the colostrum (first milk) which helps in fighting impending diseases. Young piglets tend to be anaemic (have a shortage of iron in their blood) because there is less iron in the sow’s milk, and wouldn’t meet the iron needs of the piglets. Piglets suffering from anaemia become pale and their growth rate drops. How to Prevent Anaemia in a Piggery 1.     You can prevent anaemia by putting clean compost or iron-rich soil (red, yellow or brown soil) at the corner of the pen every day. When the piglets eat some of the soil, they will be able to supplement the iron deficient in their mother’s milk. 2.     You can also give the piglets iron injection (Iron D) at the age of 1 to 3 days. Some important operations carried out on piglets are: 1.     Teeth trimming

Last summer my time was spent walking the corn and soybean fields of Southeast Iowa searching for weeds and pests that did not belong in the field. But why was I needed as a crop scout? Farmers’ livelihoods depend on their crops. Weeds and pests can easily overtake the field if not carefully controlled. It was my responsibility as a crop scout to identify the weeds and other possible concerns in the field and inform the farmer. So what are  crop scouts  looking for in the field? First they look for any abnormalities in the plant. When plants are off-coloured, chewed, stunted or dead, that could indicate issues that the farmer needs to be aware of. The causes could be soil, pest, or nutrient related, but it is important to determine the cause of the problem so it can be solved quickly. The purpose of scouting is to give a representative assessment of the entire field. While scouting, it is important to look at multiple areas of the field. It depends on the size of the field for how

The difficulty of doing business in Zambia has been well documented. Some say it’s taxes and some say it’s corruption. But there is a lot more that draws Zambian businesses back and it’s high time we admitted it as a people so that we can change this mind set. 1. Stealing Ala we can steal! Yesterday I went to buy stuff from a hardware. When I reached the shop, the workers told me that if I waited outside, they would bring me the items I needed for half the price! I refused. Doing so would be loses to a business. How many businesses lose money in that way? I gave a lift to some workers, when we arrived at site, the K10 I had laying on the car sit for weeks was gone. Cry my beloved country! The plumber came to me and said the rubbers for some item were missing. Everyone refused to acknowledge who took them. They all put the blame on the hardware. This is despite the fact that we checked everything together with the plumber! Now imagine what is happening in big companies? Imagine what is

Housing Hydroponics Trays The hydroponic installation needs to be housed in a simple facility that will allow for a semi-controlled environment for better fodder growth. The following are the basic environmental requirements for best fodder growth: 1.     Ideal temperature for growth is 19 - 22 °C ; 2.     The trays should never be exposed to direct sunlight, strong wind and heavy rain. The housing can be made of inexpensive locally available materials; •         Inexpensive and durable plastic sheeting can be applied to further prevent exposure to wind, direct sunlight and rain. It will also slightly increase the humidity inside the hydroponic facility which is desirable in low humidity environment; •         The facility floor must be solid (compacted earth, concrete, cobblestone or similar). The floor needs to allow for easy drainage of excess water coming from either the hydroponic installation or the water used for washing the trays, soaking the seeds, etc.; •      

Experienced poultry farmers would accept that raising chicks is not an easy task, especially when doing it for the first time. Chicks are highly susceptible to different kinds of dangers (both environmental and health dangers). In fact, it is the health established by chicks at this period or age that will follow them all through their lives. Successful brooding entails a lot of things such as maintaining the right temperature, protection of chicks from predators as well as ensuring adequate ventilation. Some poultry farmers have incurred losses or raised unproductive birds as a result of committing brooding/brooder house mistakes. Some of the common brooder house mistakes committed by poultry farmers are discussed as follows: 1. Too high brooder house temperature The brooder house should be having a temperature of 95 F if you are raising layers chicks (or other layer breeds) and 90 F is ideal for broiler chicks (or meat breeds). The reason for this discrepancy is due to the fact

  The Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) has encouraged the nation to consider venturing into avocado farming as it poses great market opportunities both locally and internationally. Recent research indicates that Avocados have become a high value crop due to their immense nutritional properties, medicinal values and is also being widely used in the cosmetics industry. Speaking when the Agency paid a courtesy call on Moriah Gardens in Lusaka Makeni area, ZDA board Chairman Fisho Mwale said in line with government direction of economic diversification, Avocado farming poses great opportunities for employment and wealth creation because of its demand both on the local and international market. Mr. Mwale said young people must embrace farming as the sector has immense opportunities. “As ZDA, we are enthusiastic to help farmers to grow avocados especially the Hass Avocadoes which are said to have high oil content of and have long shelf life,” explained Mr. Mwale. Mr. Mwale said the

We often get questions from people who want to grow cabbages but do not know where to start. On this post we try to elaborate some key factors and steps to follow that we think would be of great help to any farmer. At the end of the article leave us a comment to let us know if you found this helpful and suggest topics you would want us to discuss. We would love to hear from you. Climatic Conditions Cabbage is a cool season crop. The optimum temperature range for cabbage production is 15 to 20°C. Above 25°C growth stops. The minimum temperature is 0°C (freezing), but cold hardened plants can tolerate temperatures as low as -10°C. Young plants less than six millimetres in diameter can tolerate both colder and warmer temperatures than older plants. These young plants are said to be in the juvenile phase of growth. Plants which have matured past the juvenile phase will flower if temperatures are less than 10°C for five to six weeks. Nursery A cabbage nursery bed is supposed to b

We often get questions from people who want to grow cabbages but do not know where to start. On this post we try to elaborate some key factors and steps to follow that we think would be of great help to any farmer. At the end of the article leave us a comment to let us know if you found this helpful and suggest topics you would want us to discuss. We would love to hear from you. Climatic Conditions Cabbage is a cool season crop. The optimum temperature range for cabbage production is 15 to 20°C. Above 25°C growth stops. The minimum temperature is 0°C (freezing), but cold hardened plants can tolerate temperatures as low as -10°C. Young plants less than six millimetres in diameter can tolerate both colder and warmer temperatures than older plants. These young plants are said to be in the juvenile phase of growth. Plants which have matured past the juvenile phase will flower if temperatures are less than 10°C for five to six weeks. Cabbage Nursery A cabbage nursery bed is sup

When you grow cabbages, you are guaranteed a bumper harvest. What is more interesting is that you can plant cabbages throughout the year. All you need is enough land to rotate your crops , as well as control diseases and pest and you can enjoy nonstop harvest. Types of Cabbages: There are several cabbage varieties available varying in size and taste. The large varieties takes a little longer to mature. While the smaller varieties mature faster. The most common in Zambia is the green cabbage , followed by the red cabbage . Not so common are suvoy types (curly cabbages) which are tolerant to cold conditions and have deep wrinkled dark green leaves. Below are some common cabbages planted according to the time they mature: Golden Acer (green cabbage) matures in 65 days and red express matures in 63 days. These are called early cabbages. Baby cabbage takes approximately 71 days to grow and are called mid-season cabbages. Red cabbage which looks like the red acer takes 75 days

When you’re trying to grow your own edible food, tomatoes are a go-to crop due to their high success rate—not to mention their tastiness. However, there are still plenty of tomato-growing woes gardeners might experience that could be avoided with proper preparation and knowledge. From premature planting to improper watering, some of these tomato gardening mistakes can be grave. But with the help of  tomato gardening tips  from Jobe’s Organics—as well as fertilizers such as our  tomato granular —you can pave the way for an  edible garden  that rises from the dirt instead of bites the dust. 1. Not hardening seedlings Hardening your seedlings is one of the most important things you can do to help ensure their survival. Without hardening, your seedlings won’t be able to adapt to the change in temperature or the exposure to weather, like wind and rain. Some ways to ensure your seedlings are outdoor-ready include: Gradually increase your seedlings’ exposure to the elements about a month afte

Hello fellow tomato farmers. I thought I should write an article on the wonderful role of Tuta traps. The article will be long but please read carefully to the very end. It is important for you to do so. How Tuta traps work : Tuta traps are simple but wonderful tools used to prevent Tuta absoluta damage on Tomatoes. They are incorporated with Tuta lures, which have a chemical that attracts adult forms of Tuta absoluta to the traps. The attracted insects then either get stuck on the sticky surface or water incorporated in the trap and die. This way, a farmer prevents these insects from laying eggs and kills them, eventually reducing on the population. Having Tuta traps in your field has been proven to reduce Tuta damage by about 80%, which translates into a higher yield for the farmer. They are a necessity for every tomato farmer because they serve as an indicator of levels of pest presence and eliminate both female and male moths thereby serving as a treatment role besides a preven