Is maize farming profitable in Zambia?

In 2012, I ventured into maize farming at my ‘Chimpinga Farm’ in Chipata. It was a huge project and I later discovered that maize is not that profitable. It is labour intensive and require a lot of inputs such as pricy fertilizers and weed killer.

After my “successful” harvest that season, I was shocked with the price that was on offer for the purchase of maize from both the private sector and the Food Reserve Agency (FRA). The margins were very tiny! Not making business sense at all!

A friend visited my farm when we were preparing land for maize cultivation. He is an experienced and successful rancher.

“Why waste land like this Baba Jere?” he asked.

“There is no money mu Vi Nchebele Baba…” he said, alluding to the fact that maize farming is not profitable unless the maize is meant for making feed for animals.

He suggested that I fence my farm and consider bringing in game or cattle which require less labour compared to maize farming.

I am still thinking about that proposal.

You see, farmers are up in arms with the recent announced price of maize of K160 per 50 Kilogram bag. They have complained that it is not profitable! As for the small-scale farmers, they even use subsidized fertilizer from the Farmer Input Support Program (FISP) but yet they cannot make profits. Maize production is heavily subsidized in Zambia by government. Without the subsidies, few farmers would survive beyond one season.

It is time we encourage our farmers to diversify into more profitable crops such as Tobacco, Wheat and Cotton.

But what will Zambians eat?

That is the question that is always asked in justifying the growing of maize. But Nshima shouldn’t be our only food given the good soils which Zambia has in all the provinces.

Anyway, I abandoned the growing of Vi Nchebele…Maybe I try Vi Nyama or Vi Ngombe will be better for business.

Farming is a business and not a hobby!

- Dickson Jere

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