African agricultural event gives women information and leadership skills
Luskaka, Zambia Toting bags of information pamphlets and seed packets, Suzen and Mary Mungulube leave the Zambian Agri-tech Expo grounds full of excitement.
“We’ve learned so much,” Suzen said.
Shy, Mary just nods.
The two African village farmers, who rarely travel beyond their nearest small town, were sponsored to attend the biggest agriculture event in this part of Africa, held April 16-18 at Golden Valley Research Center near Lusaka, Zambia.
They returned home with a host of new ideas for their small farms.
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This is the response that Evelyn Nguleka, president of the Zambian National Farmers Union wants to hear.
“Let this not be a show,” she said, but a place where people can interact, sit down and discuss with the exhibitors and research staff.
Benjamin Jones, marketing manager of Spintelligent, which organized the exhibition has high hopes for the expo.
“Agri-Tech is out to change agriculture in Zambia.”
Besides hosting machinery dealers such as John Deere and Claas, which cater to large commercial farmers, Agri-Tech also seeks to expose small-scale and emerging farmers to mechanization options, chemicals and fertilizers.
“There is so much potential in Zambia,” Jones said.
A good part of that potential lies with women.
“Research shows that women do 60 to 70 percent of the farm work in Zambia, but when it comes to marketing, the men take over,” Nguleka said.
The money goes in the men’s pockets and the women lose out.
The farmers union is working to change that through policy and programs targeting and empowering female farmers.
Technology is helping their cause. Almost every person in Zambia owns a cellphone, and receiving is free. The farmers union sends regular text messages with marketing information and up-to-date prices.
The information allows women to do the marketing and make informed business decisions.
Money in the hands of women is much more likely to be used for family needs such as food, medical care and school fees.
Last September, the farmers union introduced the pre-paid Visa card program. Women hold 31 percent of the cards, according to the Post newspaper.
Almost all money transactions done by small farmers are currently in cash, but cash is prone to be spent if on hand and is susceptible to corruption.
When payment for commodities goes directly to the card, it helps farmers develop a culture of saving, which was lacking until now. The card is also used to pay buyers for their inputs and makes money safer for farmers and suppliers.
Women have a strong presence on the ground in Zambia, but they are almost non-existent in leadership and policy-making positions.
Women’s forums are an attempt by the farmers union to attract and develop female leaders.
The third forum was held in Lusaka in October.
For Nguleka, her efforts are re-warded when she travels to remote villages and hears women saying, “I might not be driving a car but trust me, I am not starving and I am paying my school fees and my medical bills.”
Added Nguleka: “If we can even double what we are doing now, we can make a difference.”
