Zambia Agribusiness Society

The primary reason for one to set up a business of any kind is to realise profits. Careful planning, judicious and methodical execution of the plan always precedes the successful realisation of good returns for every dollar, time and effort invested in the business. The farming business is no exception to this rule and like any other venture it ascribes religiously to these tenets. Whilst it remains true that there is money in farming, it should however be borne in mind that the money is only extracted by those individuals who carefully approach the farming business from the correct angle, with the right attitude and readiness to invest a good measure of patience. The discussion that follows hereafter seeks to single out some of the major considerations that a new farmer should look into when starting a new farming business. Land Size & Tenure The maximum extent of the farm in question has a lot of bearing on the type of farming as well the nature of projects possible on that piece

Planning your farm will help you get started, and define where you will end up. So you've decided you want to farm (congratulations!). But what do you grow? What are the conditions you have to work with (such as soil/ location/ water) and what resources are you able to invest? 1. Do your homework: Attend farmer workshops, conferences and visit the market to see what is in demand and the prices. Keep a notebook to track your findings. Read magazines or any materials related to farming, join farming groups on social media and obviously stick to this like page LOL. Talk with established farmers in your area, they will usually have plenty of experience. You should really consider working on someone else's farm for a season or two. You will gain valuable skills and experience. Nothing prepares you better to farm than experience does. 2. Draft a plan and set farm goals: Goal setting is important in every aspect of farming. Since farming is a business, it needs a vision and plan