Zambia Agribusiness Society

When South African Ayanda Zulu could not find a job, she started her business Wenzokuhle Holdings in order to pursue a business venture in farming. Based in KwaNongoma in the Zululand district, Zulu started by growing beans and later ventured into livestock farming. She expanded her business to include livestock farming in 2022 after moving to eShowe. Wenzokuhle Holdings commenced its operations in 2013 but was formerly registered in 2019, specialising in crop and animal production. Despite the odds which included the recent floods that ravaged most parts of KwaZulu-Natal, Zulu did not despair but continued to pursue farming, thanks to government’s support. “During the floods, it was not easy to continue farming. Floods really affected my operations, it was really bad. Climate change is a big threat to livestock farming. But I wouldn’t change it for the world,” she said. She received funding from the Department of Small Business Development’s (DSBD) Small Enterprise Develop

While agriculture forms an integral part of Zimbabwe’s economy, many young people still think of it as back-breaking labour that offers little economic benefit. However, things are slowly changing. A growing number of young people are starting to see agriculture as a viable career option. 28-year-old Terence Maphosa is among a new generation of agripreneurs who are invigorating the agriculture sector with their innovative initiatives. A Political Science graduate from the University of Zimbabwe, Maphosa’s dream was to land a white-collar job in the city after finishing college. A year and a half after graduating from college, circumstances pushed Maphosa to start breeding and selling indigenous chicken breeds popularly known as roadrunners at his rural home in Mhondoro-Ngezi, about 170km from the capital Harare. Roadrunner is a colloquial name for a free-range exotic breed of chicken that scavenges for food. Their meat is tougher and is considered by many to be tastier than broilers. H

A 25 year old lady from Kabwe becomes one of the first female snail farmers ( heliciculture ) who runs a company that extracts snails’ mucus into beauty products. "Every snail farmer is a great solution to beauty,” says Precious Muka Botha! 25 year old Precious Muka Botha is a snail farmer who is based in Kabwe, Zambia! She is a very creative and innovative young lady offering solutions to the nation. During an interview with ‘ Girl Empowerment Alliance for Change ’ she narrates, "Snail farming is something very enjoyable and I love it, but it isn't easy at all! I am basically the founder of ‘Muka Snails Slime.’ Wondering where we get our slime from? We farm and extract the snail mucus right here in Kabwe, Zambia. I started my business plan 5 years ago and last year I opened a page in February and started production. One thing I love about snails is that snail slime contains the perfect balance of protein's hydronic Acid and Gatheryonic which makes the next beau

Making a revenue of over 100, 000 Kwacha in 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic is our very own 25 year old Zambian young woman, Precious Muka Botha who is making her living off of snails. Miss Botha is a mother of two who is currently studying to be a clinical officer. Aside from medicine, she also dedicates her time to her snail farming business (heliciculture). So why would one decide to go into heliciculture? When asked about why she went into the field, Miss Botha said she decided to take an interest in snail farming because while growing up she had the darkest skin in the family. Overwhelmed by her insecurities, she decided to start bleaching her skin in an attempt to fit in. This, unfortunately, caused her skin to react. It was because of this skin condition that she decided to research on ways to better her skin and return it to its natural state. It was while researching that she came across the remedy of using snail slime. The snail slim significantly improved her skin

The proud owner of Litsoamobung Fresh Produce which he established in 2014 alongside his wife Malitšoanelo and mother-in-law ‘Mapula Makara, Mr. Nkunyane is the epitome of cool as he recalls the turbulence that has characterised the enterprise since its inception. Mr. Nkunyane says he did not resign from his lucrative job with the Lesotho Revenue Authority (LRA), only to abandon his own business because of teething challenges which continue to gnaw at the enterprise. Such is the youthful farmer’s resolve that no amount of heartbreak is going to make him abandon his brainchild hence his composure despite the heavy odds stacked against the business. Situated in the heart of Koro-Koro, about 37 kilometres south of Maseru, Litsoamobung Fresh Produce is a farming paradise blooming with succulent cabbages, tomatoes and potatoes. Yet despite the apparent prosperity, Mr. Nkunyane says Litsoamobung Fresh Produce is facing immense challenges which include failing to find local buyers for its pro

Robert Shimaingo is a 38 year old inventor who invented an ice plant and a moving power plant on the Kafue River. Robert lost his mother when he was a teenager and was left to take care of his younger siblings. Being used to inventing things, he took advantage of his skills and constructed A Rope-Braiding Machine. With this invention he managed to make enough money to support his family. He gradually improved the machine and the motorised version he now uses can produce 3, 000 meters of rope per day. His next project was constructing a floating Hydro-Power Plant. The idea to build it came to him when he saw the problems fishermen along the Kafue River experienced in getting fish to the market. “I saw how they were transporting big heavy blocks of ice up the river and often they melted before they reached their villages. With the Hydro-Power Plant they can connect a freezer and keep the fish frozen in order to get a better price at the market.” In 2013 the prestigious American universit

Einstein Sibanda in his chicken shed at the Rocklands Farm. Photo: Ashraf Hendricks Einstein Sibanda is a poultry farmer in Rocklands, Simonstown and owns a business called Hands-on Entrepreneur. He has 1700 chickens on the two-hectare free-range farm and produces 1600 eggs per day, inspiring the catchy produce name, ‘Einstein’s Eggs’. Originally from Zimbabwe, Einstein moved to South Africa in 2006 and studied Agriculture in order to upskill himself in the farming sector, spending three years at Living Hope (an umbrella of ministry projects engaged in various forms of community service). “Where I come from, people engage in agriculture only for family use, not really for commercial purposes. After finishing my schooling, I decided to take agriculture further and make it my career,” Einstein said. “At Living Hope, I grew tomatoes and was also involved in chicken farming, which I then decided to take further.” The free range chicken farm in Simon’s Town. Photo: Ashraf Hendricks “I rente