Organic Farming Transforms Lives in Milenge

By Linda Mupemo

David Musonda applies animal manure in his field

David Musonda shovels up goat and sheep droppings from the floor of his kraal.

 He and his two sons put it in buckets. They later head to their crop field which is a stone's throw away from their home in Chisensa village in Milenge District. 

 

Mr. Musonda applies the animal droppings in his field where he has planted garden eggplants, cabbages, tomatoes and other vegetables.

 

He is one of the small scale farmers practicing organic agriculture in Milenge district in Luapula Province. 

 

“I have 18 sheep, 11 goats and 10 chickens. These produce up to four bags of droppings fortnightly weighing 50 kilograms ," he says. 

 

In organic agriculture, farmers produce their crops using natural fertilisers such as animal manure and compost as opposed to using synthetic fertilisers.

Additionally, organic pesticides are used to control pests. 

 

 

Mr. Musonda recalls that before he ventured into organic farming, he practiced shifting cultivation which made him clear huge pieces of land which he later abandoned after the soil lost its fertility. 

 

“I have been growing a variety of crops on this piece of land for 22 years now and the soil is still fertile. I do not have to cut more trees in search of fertile soil. I can safely say organic farming is helping conserve our environment," he explains.

 

He says he also lets crop residual such as maize stalks decompose in the field and seep into the soil with a view to improving the fertility of his maize field. 

 

 

However, despite working hard to produce enough food for domestic consumption and surplus for sell, farmers in Milenge have no market nearby for their farm produce.

 

"I sell my produce in its raw state.  However, due to transportation challenges resulting from a poor road network in the district, it is difficult for me to transport my produce while it is still fresh," Mr. Musonda says.

 

For Fidelis Kashingwa a gardener from the Department of Education in the area, accessing animal manure at no cost is a plus to him. 

 

Mr. Kashingwa states that he collects cow manure from one of the teachers in the area who is also a cattle farmer. 

 

Boarding staff at Milenge Secondary School do not have to worry about the source of vegetables for their pupils as Mr. Kashingwa's garden consisting of rape and cabbages is a source of their vegetables.

 

"There is less expenditure in organic farming as I am able to source the materials locally. I do not spend any money on the cow dung," he says.  

He adds that since organic crops are chemical free, they can be harvested and consumed at any time without worrying about the presence of chemicals. 

 

Beatrice Katambula, a resident of Milenge living with hypertension says the increase in the number of farmers practicing organic farming is giving her easy access to organically grown food which she says is good for her health.

 

Ms. Katambula has identified farmers in the area who produce crops such as sorghum, millet and vegetables organically.

 

“As I strive to manage my blood pressure, consuming organic food is my number one dietary decision. I am happy that more farmers in my community are beginning to practice organic farming,” she says.

 

Milenge District Agricultural Coordinator (DACO) Tom Mwansabamba underscores the vital role organic agriculture plays in promoting the health of crops, livestock, consumers and the environment. 

 

Mr. Mwansabamba says using organic fertilisers as opposed to synthetic fertilisers reduces greenhouse gas emissions thereby combating global warming.

 

 

He says the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides leaves traces of chemicals in the crops and when consumed, the additives can lead to cancer, liver damage and other diseases. 

 

 

Mr. Mwansabamba says organic fertiliser is made of bacteria which is a living thing hence when applied to the soil which is also a living thing, there is continuity of life with regards to micro-organisms. 

 

“With organic farming, you add living organisms to living organisms. But the use of synthetic fertilisers introduces foreign elements in the ecosystem. This contributes to some organisms such as bees, insects, birds and fish being killed and eventually becoming extinct,” he says. 

 

He further notes that using organic manure improves the soil structure and enables it retain moisture thus supporting plant life even amid poor rainfall. 

 

The department of agriculture has continued to sensitise farmers in the area to adopt organic agriculture practices. 

 

 

 

Not to be left on the organic agriculture practices train, livestock farmers in Milenge have also ventured in natural ways of rearing their livestock. 

 

Acting Milenge District Fisheries and Livestock Coordinator Kafula Chongo says Government is promoting rearing livestock organically by empowering farmers with forage seeds. 

 

Mr. Chongo says this is part of the Enhanced Small Holder Livestock Investment Programme (ESLIP) which is aimed at aiding small holder farmers engaged in rearing goats, chickens and sheep. 

 

Over 1000 farmers so far have benefited from the programme since its inception in 2019. 

 

"We give farmers forage seeds which they grow and later feed to their livestock.  No chemicals are used in the production of forage, the plants depend on natural nutrients found in the loam and clay soil," he says.

 

Mr. Chongo says when the forage reaches its vegetative stage in April, it is harvested, cut into small pieces and preserved to be fed to livestock during the dry season. 

 

While other animals in the area struggle to find fresh pasture during the dry season, livestock belonging to ESLIP beneficiaries joyously wag their tails as they feed on the conserved forage. 

 

"We also encourage farmers to feed their livestock locally available materials such as beans, soya beans, cow peas, sorghum, maize stalks and maize cobs. This makes them healthy," he says. 

 

Mr. Chongo adds that forage production is a climate change adaption measure which also promotes animal nutrition. 

 

 

“The forage comprises grass, shrubs and legumes. The shrubs drop leaves which later degrade into green compost and is absorbed into the soil. Therefore, forage production contributes to fixing nitrogen into the soil," he says.  

 

 

The Ministry of Agriculture's National Agriculture Policy (2012-2030) indicates that 61 percent of Zambia’s population lives in rural areas where they are predominantly engaged in crop production. 

 

Additionally, according to a research conducted by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) in 2021, expansion of cropland into forests by small holder farmers represents about 60 percent of the estimated 250,000 hectares of forest cover lost per year in the country.

 

 This implies that the increase in population is resulting in increased demand for food, a situation which is exerting pressure on forests and biodiversity in general. 

 

Therefore, there is need to promote crop production methods which promote sustainability and enhance the well-being of the ecosystem.  

 

 

The Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Zambia is one of the organisations championing the adoption of sustainable farming methods in the country. 

 

PELUM Zambia Country Director Muketoi Wamunyima says the organisation has so far trained 24 lead farmers in four provinces namely Muchinga, Northern, Eastern and Southern. 

 

 

Mr. Wamunyima says the lead farmers are expected to pass on the skills and knowledge acquired on best organic agriculture practices to other farmers in their communities. 

 

"We have embarked on training farmers with a view to building their capacity in ecological land use management. We are in the process of scaling up the training programme to other parts of the country we are yet to touch," he explains. 

 

 

Mr. Wamunyima notes that soils have become depleted due to the overuse of chemical fertilisers hence they cannot support crops as they should, a situation which has led to reduced yields among farmers. 

 

 

He says PELUM Zambia is advocating for the adoption of organic agriculture with hopes of rebuilding the fertility of soils. 

 

"The more humus we put into the soil, the more it regenerates. This is a continuous process which may take two or more years. When the soil is brought back to its capacity, we anticipate production to increase," he says. 

 

 

Mr. Wamunyima says Government should formulate a policy aimed at promoting organic agriculture in the country. 

 

He states that integrating organic agriculture into national policies will ensure clear strategies are enlisted and appropriate financial resources are allocated to the cause. 

 

 

Noteworthy is that organic products are relatively more marketable than conventional products on the global market hence when fully exploited, organic agriculture can  be an avenue through which government generates export earnings. 

 

 

Moreover, not only is adopting sustainable farming methods beneficial to the current generation but also to future generations. 

 

 

This is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number two which is aimed at eliminating hunger. 

 

Part three of SDG number two reads, 

"Ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters and that progressively improve land and soil quality."

NB - This article was published in Times of Zambia newspaper on 24th September, 2022.