it is fair to say that most farmers in the Southern Province are extremely dissatisfied with growing maize. It fails to meet expectations, year after year, as erractic rainfall and localized droughts reduce yields. But maize is the only marketable crop for farmers (the government is the buyer), so they keep growing it even though payment times can be incredibly drawn out (some farmers have yet to be paid almost 6 months after harvest!) It’s a catch 22 that keeps rural households food insecure and low on cash. Sorghum, with its drought tolerance and available market can address these dissatisfactions.
This from a long and fascinating post — one of those first-hand field reports I find so interesting — from a worker with CARE in Zambia. Thulasy B. has some intriguing insights into the whole business of agricultural development, things that I have no experience of. She also has a blogroll that might be a goldmine for people interested in this area.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I am interested in this initiative. I come from the Southern Province of Zambia and would love to engage in this sort of development. Please contact me for me discussion on this issue.
Thank you for your interest. We have no direct role in this work. I suggest you contact the author of the original post directly, perhaps by leaving a comment on her blog.
And do let us know how you get on.