Zambia Agribusiness Society

If you are just  starting poultry farming as a beginner,  then definitely, you will need to think of how to make money in your business. In this article, you will find core ideas that will help you to make money from your poultry farm. So, if you are ready for this, let’s dive right in. 1. Housing system: This is a very important factor you need to put into consideration, no matter the number of birds you are keeping the housing can make or destroy your success in poultry farming. If you have successfully worked on the housing system more than 40% of problems have been solved. I have met some farmers who have poorly constructed houses. Some poultry houses are as a result of poor housing. Ensure that you source for the services of a good poultry house mason. Note that housing is the second most expense of the poultry venture after feeds. 2. Feed and feeding: You need to map out a feasibility studies on poultry farming before you kick-start anything this will go a ...

The importance of writing a business plan for your new or existing poultry business can never be underestimated. It will give you more clarity about your business and it can be used to attract investors or to apply for a loan or grant. Unless you have your intentions for your business written down, you might miss an opportunity to communicate it to someone else or even to clarify things for yourself. Whether you’re starting or expanding a poultry business, writing a business plan will help you become clear about what you want to do and how you will be going about it. Most emerging poultry farmers will have to make use of loans or grants when starting their business. In order to access these, you will need to write a business plan and submit it to your prospective financier or grant officer. What is a Business Plan? A business plan is a basic outline of what your business is all about. It must serve as an action plan and guideline for you to use on a daily basis. The essence of it i...

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...