Zambia Agribusiness Society

Another one to add to our list of respiratory diseases, this incredibly contagious viral disease plagues chickens in particular, rather than birds in general. Causes: As mentioned above, this one is very infectious and can be spurred on by factors like the age of the flock and the living environment. The virus can spread through a number of transmissions including feed bags, dead birds, infected coops, and those good-for-nothing rodents. But most commonly it can spread via the air. Symptoms: Chickens that have Infectious Bronchitis (IB) will eat and drink less and develop a watery discharge from their eyes and nostrils. They will begin to have heavy, laboured breathing, and their egg production can drop. However, while this is a common symptom we've seen multiple times before, often chickens who have contracted Infectious Bronchitis never recover to previous levels of egg production, and their egg whites can become more watery. Is it fatal? Generally not. While it...

5 weeks old broiler chicken Every broiler farmer's dream is to achieve very good weights, with low mortality, and raising birds in the shortest period possible. This helps them to get better return on investment (ROI). Let's go through some of the key points on how to achieve the best from our chicks. Note : Chick quality matters, and I advise farmers to get good broiler breed from good hatchery. 1. Thermoregulation/brooder temperature management A day old chick cannot regulate its own body temperature. Therefore we need to create a favourable warm environment for the chicks. Start warming the brooder room 5 to 10 hours before chicks arrive. If you are brooding in a new building, it’s better to warm the house at least for 24 hours before chicks’ arrival. A chick on a cold floor will refrain to eat and be inactive. The most critical period of your birds is the first five days. Gradually within 2 weeks, the chick becomes more capable to regulate its body temperature. The temper...

“Agroforestry is the best way to improve our land productivity, and the best link between environment and economy.” - Fatimata Niang Diop Agroforestry is the intentional combination of agriculture and forestry to create productive and sustainable land-use practices. These practices take advantage of the interactive benefits of growing trees and shrubs together with crops and/or livestock. Agroforestry has its roots in tropical food production systems. FAO has defined Agroforestry as a dynamic, ecologically based, natural resource management system that, through the integration of trees on farms and in the agricultural landscape, diversifies and sustains production for increased social, economic, and environmental benefits for land users at all levels. In particular, agroforestry is crucial to smallholder farmers and other rural people because it can enhance their food supply, income, and health. Agroforestry systems are multifunctional systems that can provide a wide range o...

Goats in Zambia are one of the least appreciated and under-performing small stock with probably the most potential for improvement. They can generally survive off the existing vegetation. They are a particularly useful animal to keep on areas that cannot be made arable, are rocky or with steep slopes. The manure is extremely useful for gardens and crop fields. They are widely kept in almost all rural areas and to a large extent serve as a small savings account with interest particularly for women. When times are good goats are bought for keeping and when hard times come, some may be sold to buy food or school requirements for children. Large-scale commercial goat production is not common but this may change as the market and the prices are rapidly improving and it is becoming a much-desired food. The market for goat milk is yet undeveloped, but there is considerable potential for both milk and milk products. The potential production of the best goats is four offspring p...

Climate change could negatively impact banana cultivation in some of the world’s most important producing and exporting countries, a study has revealed. Bananas are recognised as the most important fruit crop – providing food, nutrition and income for millions in both rural and urban areas across the globe. While many reports have looked at the impact of climate change on agricultural production, the effect of rising temperatures and changing rainfall has on crucial tropical crops such as the banana are less well understood. In a new study, led by Dr. Dan Bebber from the University of Exeter, scientists have studied both the recent and future impact of climate change on the world’s leading banana producers and exporters. It shows that 27 countries – accounting for 86% of the world’s dessert banana production – have on average seen increased crop yield since 1961 due to the changing climate resulting in more favourable growing conditions. However, crucially the report also sug...

  Every New Year’s morning, people decide to manage their weight and get their bodies into shape. They plan their workouts, diets, buy exercise machines, but within a fortnight, they fail to continue their routine. The common mistake: drastically changing routine and introducing heavy exercise to the body. One of the best ways to get the body in shape and reach the weight goal is to change diet slowly and follow a few strategies to keep the routine going. There is an overwhelming number of diets available on the internet, which attract people with their “before and after” pictures of diet followers. However, not all are sustainable, suitable, and effective. Some diets focus on reducing appetite to minimize food intake, which in turn restricts the intake of calories, fat, and carbohydrates and some offer benefits that go beyond weight loss. Here are some of the best diets and weight loss management strategies: Weight management strategies: Before we dive into a weight loss diet, one...

A 25 year old lady from Kabwe becomes one of the first female snail farmers ( heliciculture ) who runs a company that extracts snails’ mucus into beauty products. "Every snail farmer is a great solution to beauty,” says Precious Muka Botha! 25 year old Precious Muka Botha is a snail farmer who is based in Kabwe, Zambia! She is a very creative and innovative young lady offering solutions to the nation. During an interview with ‘ Girl Empowerment Alliance for Change ’ she narrates, "Snail farming is something very enjoyable and I love it, but it isn't easy at all! I am basically the founder of ‘Muka Snails Slime.’ Wondering where we get our slime from? We farm and extract the snail mucus right here in Kabwe, Zambia. I started my business plan 5 years ago and last year I opened a page in February and started production. One thing I love about snails is that snail slime contains the perfect balance of protein's hydronic Acid and Gatheryonic which makes the next beau...