• FQM Kansanshi officials bow to show respect as they greet the traditional
leaders (not in picture). Pictures by CHIBESA CHANDA

MINING corporations worldwide traditionally have little or nothing to do with empowering host countries or communities to find alternative means of earning economic revenues beyond mining.
In Zambia’s North-Western Province, First Quantum Minerals, a global name in the industry, has partnered logistically and educationally with local farmers to better farming practices. Suma Systems’ KAUSA MBASELA explores this development.
Through its flagship Kansanshi Mine in Solwezi, an FQM-established foundation – Kansanshi Foundation Institute (KFI) has engaged experienced technocrats to introduce and teach conservation farming skills to the locals.
KFI Coordinator Guy Hammond reveals that at its inception in 2010, the concept was met with some prejudice and resistance as it was seen as an unconventional manner of farming.
“There was some considerable scepticism from the local people, so we kind of dangled a carrot and that seemed to work,” he said.
The ‘carrot’ was the provision of free farming inputs such as seed and fertiliser alongside sensitisation of farmers on the need for farming methods that were more rewarding.
Mr Hammond says the initial number of farmers was seven in the first year and the number has now grown in excess of 22,000 farmers as of 2015.
KFI recently organised a field day at Prince Malupenga’s farm in Mushitala area of Solwezi District, where they demonstrated the efficiency of conservation farming as opposed to the traditional farming practices where yields are generally lower per hectare.
As regards the projects, the total area under cultivation as at year end 2015 in chiefdoms Kapijimpanga, Mumena, Mujimanzovu, Mulonga, Kalilele and Ikeleng’i was 1,115 hectares with a total number of KFI-trained farmers standing at 2,300 from the initial seven in 2010.
This has improved crop diversity with 92 per cent maize and eight per cent groundnuts – the high proportion of maize was due to a groundnut seed shortage in 2015.
Budgetary constraints excluded cash crops such as soya beans and groundnuts which on hindsight has turned out for good due to the regional drought, resulting in the farmers having excess maize to sell at premium prices.
Sadly, projections have indicated that the average yield will decline this year due to local drought conditions and the lack of inputs due to Kwacha devaluation.
Nonetheless, conservation yields are climbing due to improved cultural practices and enhanced soil fertility through rotations.
As at now, top performers now produce yields at commercial levels.
Through hard work and commitment from the team, the total number of farmers trained as of 2015 reached 22,000.
This reflects direct training and does not include farmers who have received conservation information from radio broadcasts, television shows and publications.
Conservation farming has helped increase tonnage of maize produced in Solwezi from 15 tonnes in 2010 to 5,400 tonnes in 2015; helping grow the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the district.
At the current prices of mealie-meal of K75 a bag in Solwezi, this equates to a projected value added injection of K16,200,000 or US$1,400,000 into the local economy.
This figure is the direct contribution of the conservation farming of maize and excludes money generated from groundnuts, soya beans, vegetables, chickens and bee-keeping.
The number of full-time farmers (as opposed to seasonal) has increased year by year as the local people realise that farming is a viable business.
Charcoal production too has declined due to viable alternative incomes.
Further to this, markets prefer to sell home-grown vegetables than to trade in imports.
School attendance has increased on the back of households having income from extra maize sales.
Illegal liquor brewing has been virtually eliminated and it can be anticipated that prostitution levels are bound to drop subsequently.
And speaking at the field day exhibition, FQM Kansanshi Public Relations Manager Godfrey Msiska noted that the success of the project was not by accident, but came through a well-calculated and laid-down plan.
“It has not been without challenges as people were not confident that it was a better way of farming and would yield better stocks.
But there was confidence on the part of management as this practice has a track record of success from places like Zimbabwe where it has been successful for a long period of time,” he says.
Drawing on the results of the project thus far, Kansanshi Mining Plc has pledged to supplement efforts of Government agencies responsible for agriculture to ensure that maize yields improve and increase across the country.
Mr Msiska also thanked the farmers for being part of the project and creating wealth and food security not only for themselves but the country at large.
He further urged the farmers to produce more to ensure food security as the county takes strides towards becoming the food basket of the region.
He said with more yields available on the market, there will be less pressure on the country’s maize stocks.
FQM Kansanshi Construction Manager Adrian Hosack encouraged the farmers to continue working hard.
He called on traditional leaders in the province to use their influence to lobby Government to supply farming inputs early enough for the continued success of the programme and the attainment of surplus maize stocks.
“We, as a mining company, cannot manage to provide inputs for all farmers in the province, let alone employ them. So the traditional leaders should play their part and ensure that Government, through relevant agencies, provides the necessary farming inputs to the farmers in good time.
“This will go a long way in ensuring that the issues of food shortage are no more and that the province is well on its way to becoming the food basket for Zambia—which is not far-fetched,” he says.
Some farmers who have undergone training, encouraged FQM Kansanshi to continue impacting the lives of farmers positively through the project which is not limited to growing cash-crops only.
Prince Malupenga, on whose farm the field day was held, thanked the mining company for the wealth of knowledge he has acquired as a result of the KFI effort.
“When I first started in 2011, I had no idea how much I was losing out per hectare as a result of bad farming practices. Now am proud to note that my yield is substantial, from a relatively small piece of land.
“I would like to thank Kansanshi Foundation for growing my capacity to rear broilers from 25 to over 400 currently. This is a worthwhile venture that I want to urge my fellow farmers to learn so that their lives can improve the way mine has,” he says.
Another farmer identified as Kenneth Muzenzi appealed to the Government to make inputs like fertiliser more affordable if more farmers were to truly benefit from such innovative ways of farming. —SUMA SYSTEMS.