Zambia Agribusiness Society

Onion farming is rising in popularity in Africa because it is very affordable to start and run. This kind of agriculture has high returns. Again, onion farming can be done comfortably in greenhouses and open gardens. For you to succeed as an onion farmer, you have to apply various onion farming tips. These tips will enable you to enjoy massive profits from your onion farming efforts. 1. Some top onion farming tips Planting To start with, you should select a location that is free of shade and one that can access full sun directly. The soils of the area need to be well drained and with high nitrogen content. Loose soil is the most preferable since compact soil lowers bulb development. Nourishment tips Apply aged manure during planting or use fertilizer on the fall before planting. Note that onions are one kind of a plant that show heavy feeding and demand continued nourishment for them to produce large bulbs desired in the market. During planting, it’s advisable to mix in some ...

Cabbage is vulnerable to several pests and diseases. All can be controlled to a greater or lesser extent, but in some cases the only solution is to plant a resistant variety. 1. Cabbage worms, Cabbage loopers Affected Area : Leaf Description : Loopers are caterpillars that are generally green or greyish, taking on the colour of the host plant. They may blend well and be difficult to see. They eventually develop into white- or yellow-winged butterflies often seen fluttering about the plants. Caterpillars feed on the underside of leaves leaving ragged holes sometimes to the extent that plants starve and die. Control : Spray with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Comercially available as Dipel or Thuricide.) 2. Cutworms Affected Area : Stem Description : Plants chewed off just above ground level. Cutworms are caterpillars 1 1/2″ long and mottled or striped green, brown or grey. When they are disturbed, they roll up in a coil. They usually position themselves at the moisture line i...

There was a lot of talk about Aspirin last time and so I took time to research, and this is what I found. Aspirin tablets can be used for growing healthy and productive plants and it really works. Here’re some of the best Aspirin uses in the garden! 1. Increases the Growth and Productivity of Plants At the University of Rhode Island, gardeners made a solution containing 4 crushed aspirin tablets and 4 gallons of water and then sprayed the solution on their vegetable gardens every three weeks throughout the growing season. At the end of the season, they found that the treated plants grew more quickly and were more fruitful than the group that was left untreated. They concluded that aspirin leads to increased vitamin C content and greater growth in plants. The Science behind this Claim Aspirin contains an active ingredient known as salicylic acid. It is derived from willow bark. This acid enhances the immune system of plants (Plants prepare it naturally but in lower amounts) ...

  Debeaking is a precision operation in which part of the upper and lower mandible (beak) is removed with an electrically controlled cauterizing blade having high temperature. A chicken’s beak is constantly growing, much like our own hair and fingernails. Pullet management should be designed with the goal of meeting the recommended body weight and uniformity as per the breed standards. If these goals are met the pullet will be more likely to express its genetic potential. A key factor influencing the capability of the birds to meet this goal is the quality of debeaking and age at debeaking. Cannibalism is prevalent among the chickens of all ages and debeaking is the only way to prevent it. The pecking mortality may go up to 25 to 30% in the flock. It is a great financial loss to the farmers. Debeaking must be considered as precision operation and experience is a great asset in doing it properly. Too often debeaking is done carelessly, or by not removing enough- which allows th...

Smallholder fish pond farmers in Luwingu, Northern Province, Zambia Zambia has big potential for fish farming with 37% of its surface area suitable for artisanal and 43% suitable for commercial fish production. Aquaculture is the rearing of  aquatic organisms  in an  enclosed water body  under  controlled conditions . Aquatic organisms may be plant life such as phytoplankton, lilies, and other forms of algae or animal life such as fish, crocodiles , oysters etc. Controlled conditions include physio-chemical water parameters (dissolved oxygen, temperature, pH, phosphorous, etc.), water level, as well as feed. The basic idea here is to imitate what is prevailing in the natural waters so as to achieve optimum yields. Aquaculture is in its infant stage of development compared to agriculture. Fish farming in Zambia dates back to the 1950s when the first attempts were made to raise indigenous species of the cichlidae family, mainly tilapias, in dams and earthen fi...

Cropping System : A cropping system mainly refers to the way a crop is grown, arrangement in the field and frequency of production. Different cropping systems and practices are used in the production of crops depending on location, preference, skill and financial capacity. Agroforestry:   Agroforestry is the intentional mixing of trees and shrubs into crop and animal production systems to create environmental, economic, and social benefits.   The foundation of agroforestry is putting trees to work in conservation and production systems for farms, forests, ranches, and communities. Agroforestry begins with placing the right plant, in the right place, for the right purpose. Agroforestry is a unique land management approach that provides opportunities to integrate productivity and profitability with environmental stewardship, resulting in healthy and sustainable agricultural systems that can be passed on to future generations. Agroforestry technologies, when used appr...

Most times, farmers or intending farmers think about land, capital, breeds, disease control, vaccination, farm structures and other requirements that they look at as more important than others. However, to the contrary, research and experience show that the most valuable and important resource of all, the Human resource is given little attention. As farms grow in stock and other operations, the owners can no longer rely on family members as source of unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled labour. Before one knows it, they need to employ and manage 10 employees and the years go by, the number keeps on increasing. Employing the right people on the farm is one thing and effectively managing them is the other. The key skills and tips to manage these employees make a difference between a failed farm and a successful farm. The following are the skills, expertise and strategies to effectively manage employees on your farm: 1. Good communication mechanism. Established to communicate with ...