Zambia Agribusiness Society

A shortage of nitrogen is the single most common reason for a cabbage crop not reaching its full yield potential. This applies equally to the quantity applied as to how to conserve it and maintain its correct level. Nitrogen comes in different forms and can easily be leached from the soil. We should anticipate leaching and take appropriate measures when it happens. A wait- and-see approach will cause a loss in yield. All the required nitrogen can be applied at planting and some farmers do so successfully. But they may lose out badly if heavy rain leaches the nitrogen from the soil. How much nitrogen is required? Usually around 200kg N/ha. It depends on how much is already present in the soil before fertilising as well as how much nitrogen is tied up in organic matter and becomes available when the organic matter mineralises, which in turn depends on weather conditions. Many variables are involved. But with a significant difference in profitability between an average crop and a good...

It’s no secret that most new entrants to poultry farming go bankrupt. Jan Grobbelaar, training director at Dumela Poultry Solutions, discusses common errors and how to avoid them. Over the past decade, Dumela Poultry Solutions has conducted more than 80 evaluations of failed emerging poultry farms in northern Gauteng, the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and elsewhere. In many cases it was found that poultry houses were empty and in various states of dilapidation. These houses, including equipment, chickens and other commodities, had invariably been donated by different donors – private and government. Why did they fail? This is difficult to answer, as poultry production is a complex farming enterprise that can be compared to a wheel with spokes – if one or more spokes break or malfunction, the wheel collapses. Poultry production is dependent on various role players and crucial management procedures. Here are some of the more common reasons these farmers failed: 1. No feasibility study ...

Agriculture has been known from time to be the major source of wealth, livelihood and economic growth for any nation and Zambia, is not an exemption. Agriculture can be a very lucrative business for farmers and investors alike as the cash crops, food and fruits produced coupled with poultry and snail farming and fish business will always yield good income as food is a very important commodity which people can never get tired of. Agriculture is very important in any nation’s economic growth and therefore, its consistent contributions to the evolution of mankind is overwhelming. Agriculture is a very great opportunity for one to make an income either on a large or small scale. There are also a lot of career options in agriculture. As the world keeps revolving, there are now different ways, you can earn from agriculture without owning a farm or even physically being present on the farm. There is also the use of online farming which can be done from the comfort of your home, all you...

Maggot meal supplemented with live maggots is a good alternative to fish meal in organic poultry production, according to new research from Aarhus University. Maggots and maggot meal have proven to be a good alternative to fish meal in organic poultry. This is the results of experiments carried out in the project BioConval, which is supported by the International Centre for Research in Organic Food Systems (ICROFS). The lack of a locally grown protein feed with a sufficiently high content of sulphur-containing amino acids is a major challenge for organic poultry production. Since synthetic amino acids are not permitted in organic production, organic poultry producers rely on animal protein sources with a favourable amino acid profile such as fish meal. But fish meal is a limited resource and therefore it is important to find alternatives. The BioConval project had a twofold purpose. It was partly an experiment on composting that studied the feasibility of improving the plant-avai...

Goat farm design plays an important role in the overall production and health of your goats. A good designed goat farm with all types of facilities, ensures higher production, maximum profit and good health for goats. A large amount of total invested money in goat farming business plan goes to this sector. If you are new in this business then you should visit as many goat farms as possible to have some practical knowledge. A good goat farm design must include a suitable house or shelter, pasture, numerous mobile shelter for taking rest, sufficient grazing place, free from noise or sound, properly fenced, good source of fresh and clean water and some other necessary facilities. Diagram of standard goat house design Before making final goat farm design consider the following factors. 1.     First of all you may have a question. How much will this cost? Generally the cost depends on the materials and type of the shed. For the first time you can go with low-cost designs. An...

Terrestrial Orchids are also referred to as ground orchids. They are orchids that grows on the ground rather than clinging to stones or trees. Most orchids are epiphytic, i.e. they grow on trees or in some cases rock surfaces. They use their roots to attach themselves to a tree or a rock. Most people think about epiphytic orchids when they think about orchids. This is understandable considering that many of the most popular types of orchids including Phalaenopsis and Cattleya are epiphytic orchids. Chikanda, a local traditional delicacy made from orchids Terrestrial orchids can however be just as interesting and just as beautiful as epiphytic orchids. There are more than 200 species of terrestrial orchids. This might sound like a lot but the orchid family has more than 28 000 recognized species. Less than 1% of all orchid species are terrestrial. Introduction to Terrestrial Orchids Pseudobulbs are common on both terrestrial and epiphytical orchids. Different terrestrial orchids hav...

Carrots are vegetables which are eaten raw or cooked. It is an emerging high value crop; very rich in vitamin A which is what gives it the characteristic bright colour and sweetness good to be used in some fruit-like roles. When grated, they can be used in cakes, carrot puddings, blended in jams and other fruits. It has a demand in both small scale use and processors like canneries and dehydration firms. Ecological Requirements ·    Carrots do well in cool to warm areas. The roots are very sensitive to high soil temperatures. ·     Deep, loose loam soils which should be well drained and with a pH of 6 to 6.5. Poor drained soil encourages prevalence of bacterial diseases. Heavy clay soils give low quality, malformed and twisted carrots. ·        Altitude of 500m above sea level. Varieties Carrot varieties can be categorized into two fresh market and processing (canning) varieties. The common varieties are Nantes , Super Kuroda, Oxh...