Zambia Agribusiness Society

It’s a question I see many people ask.... I have seen the answers on many online forums: Rice, Beans, Kapenta (Sardines), Salaula (Second-hand clothes), Mobile Money booth, food business, Network marketing...etc.... Of course, all these answers are ok...buying and selling is business. Most of us start out like this! Over 10 years ago as a student at UNZA , I was trading in earrings and necklaces...buying from COMESA market and reselling at UNZA. One time I bought Egyptian handmade bags during the Ndola Trade Fair and sold them...etc... Most often, these are short term Hustles... Now I would like to challenge you; are you thinking long term or short term? Do you dream of building an empire, a strong brand or do you simply want to make some extra cash? Do you look at some of the established brands and think how it would be cool to build one of those from the ground up? [**this kind of big dreaming is not for everyone and that's ok...] If you just want to earn ...

Are you fearful, intrigued, confused, or simply curious about herbicides? If so, you’re in the right place! Let’s dig a little deeper into the science of how herbicides function. To start off with, what is a herbicide? A  herbicide  is a chemical that can manage and control unwanted plant vegetation. The most common types of herbicides are synthetic, but there are also  organic options . These chemicals are typically used to effectively eliminate weeds in order to maximize the growth of more desirable plants. Herbicides can be utilized anywhere from your favourite golf course to a neighbour’s garden, and everywhere in-between! It’s important to understand the different ways these chemicals are applied as well as how they physiologically affect plants. Categories of Herbicides The two largest categories of herbicides are selective and non-selective. Non-selective herbicides are designed to harm just about any plant species that comes into contact with it. Selective herbici...

5 strand barbed wire fence "Security is the chief enemy of mortals." - William Shakespeare If you own a small farm or even a large ranch, safety and security are very important. People may trespass on your property by accident or on purpose. Either way, it’s important that you know when people are about and what they’re doing. In this article, I present important tips to help keep you safe and secure on your farm. Read on to learn more on farm security best practices. The Bible in Matthew 6:21 says, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." It is important to first know what your treasure is then understood the location of that treasure. As a smallholder farmer, I want to remind you that your treasure is hidden in the soil at your farm and so your heart must be there. Please secure your heart's treasure. What is Farm Security? Farm security is simply the different security measures that farmers will use to ensure the protection of their busine...

Plant propagation is the art, science, and business of multiplying plants. Plant propagation is the method to increase the number of outstanding fruit and crop varieties in order to perpetuate their desirable qualities such as high production, large fruits, and excellent eating quality—those that command better market prices. Ways to propagate plants: Sexual : through the use of seeds (for papaya, mangosteen, and for root stocks for asexual propagation). Asexual : through the use of plant parts other than seeds. This does not involve the exchange of genetic material, so the process almost always produces plants that are identical to the parent. Advantage of asexual propagation: Plants are true-to-type. More rapid means of producing planting materials for crops such as cassava, sweet potato, and other root crops. Plants start fruiting in a shorter time than normal, and mature into sm...

Divide your greenhouse into sections and ensure you spend a predetermined amount of time in each area, starting with plants in entry ways where pests often come in. Look over the entire crop to evaluate uniformity, overall colour and height. Check for plants that look different from others, and if any troubled areas stand out, start looking for pests. Inspect both the upper and lower leaf surfaces as well as the undersides. Monitor for pest populations by using biological traps such as Whitefly and Tuta traps. These should be placed at regular intervals in the greenhouse Frequent scouting affords farmers the opportunity to detect and manage problems before damage occurs. It is recommended that scouting is done at least once a week and more often when conditions are conducive for problem pests. To determine the success of a chemical application, scout after 3 to 4 days after application.

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...

Carrot farming is one of the highly as well as lucrative farming activities that you can tap into and earn a living. Here are the key basics that you can adopt and earn good money since it only requires a small portion of land, shorter maturity duration and minimum attention. 1. Facts about Carrots Most varieties of carrots are resistant to pests and diseases, and they are also a good late-season crop that can tolerate frost. In fact, they prefer to be grown during the cooler ends of the growing season - spring and fall. Carrots’ root is rich in sugar, and a great source of vitamins and carotene. Not all carrots are orange; varieties vary in colour from purple to white! If there is a challenge to growing carrots, it’s just having soil that’s not too heavy - otherwise, you’ll end up with stunted, round carrots! Most carrot varieties need deep, loose soil that lets them grow without difficulty. Carrots are grown from seed and take between 2 and 4 months to mature, depending on ...