Village life in Zimba... for the guys

As Carissa mentioned, we split between two households for the night in Kolomo, as Slady and I (Minh) stayed with Kenny’s family. Kenny is on the council of sorghum farmers, one of the first to join the program. Here are some of events that took place:
- Evening bathing: the family prepares my bathing water and as I set up, the son casually mentions, “don’t worry about the chicken in the corner.” I think I now had a slight paranoid disposition, hoping the chicken wouldn’t attack me or whatever while I tried to wash off the day’s grime.
- Next morning: at 5AM I joined the son to fetch water 2.5kms away on bicycle and carried a 20ltr jug on my bike, whereas the son carried 3x20 ltr jugs. Reaching the water hole, I discovered they were using a pit dug only metres from the dam. Perhaps not the best water planning/treatment prevention, as we learned during or Wat-San visit.

Water quality somewhat suspect


My return ride was not working out so well because the jug had a tipping effect as I tried to ride back. Thankfully a friend of the family was crossing our paths carrying a live chicken. He traded bikes with me and carried my water back, but somewhere on the journey back to the house the chicken jumped free, so I watched the friend first put the bike on the stand then chase the chicken and strap him to the jug of water… (this is somewhat funnier to see than write, kinda Keystone Cops scene)

Riding with 3 x 20 litre jugs


As the day continued, we toured Kenny’s property and discussed his sorghum crop. Among the highlights he addressed:
- Concern that weather forecasts have to be communicated in advance of seed planting season, otherwise rain could wash away seeds (a wasted effort).
- Other natural disaster, such as the elephants who recently walked through his field may ruin certain quantities of crops (you have to see the footprints to see the magnitude of damage)
- He has embraced a strategy to diversify his fields and rotate them between sorghum, maize, and garden veggies such as peas, sunflower, etc.
- Rotation should ensure that sorghum does not grow immediately after maize has grown in same field because the lack of fertilizer in the soil. Garden veggies however, do re-fertilize the soil.
- Maize should only be grown to feed his family, therefore leaving the remaining fields available to higher-profit margin crop.
- The fact Care is wrapping their program, he needs to gain all their knowledge before they leave.



Kenny (holding sorghum)

Kenny & Slady in the field

Care’s support of the farmers has encompassed the following:

- Provided free sorghum seed in 2006 as incentive to change crop (from maize)

- In 2007-08, they began charging 50% the price of seed, encouraging farmers to treat sorghum as part of their business plan

- In 2009, they will end their support of the program, believing that farmers will become self-sufficient by that time.

- The past year, they made an exceptional expenditure to help defray 50% the price to transport the sorghum that has been harvested. Higher than expected transport costs more than the value of the crop. Without profits, the farmers will be unable to purchase seeds or fertilizers (for maize)

- The council leaders have been held accountable by Care to present their business plan for the coming year. The meeting we attending showed a profit of 10M KW (KW = Zambian currency) off sales of 101M KW. This plan is being updated to include a risk management plan (costs of selling, price of crop in future) and needs to know how to effectively manage sales channels that account for 80% of their business, but 20% of client base (the pareto rule “80-20”)

Business Planning meeting with sorghum council leaders