Diversifying Sources of Household Income through Agriculture and Off-farm Business Activities: Martin Kakubenge

Martin Kakubenge married with three children, is one of the small scale farmers developing agriculture as a business and joined Silyela farmers group in 2002. After being trained in business and entrepreneurial skills, he obtained his first loan worth K500, 000 from Micro Bankers Trust (MBT) facilitated by Keepers Zambia Foundation. He then purchased some grocery goods and started running a grocery store in 2004.

The loan was at a monthly interest rate of 5% and within a period of six months, he managed to pay back the total loan plus interest amounting to K650, 000 and remained with a profit of K1, 000,000. Within one year, Martin Kakubenge accumulated a profit of K1, 650,000 increasing his total capital to K2, 650,000. He acquired a second loan worth K1, 000,000 on the 18th June, 2005 from MBT under the same conditions and used the loan buy more items for his shop in addition Sunflower seed loan which he obtained. The sunflower seed loan enabled him to harvest 25 x 50kg bags of sunflower.

Having undergone various trainings by KZF, Martin Kakubenge developed and implemented agro-business plans that earned him huge profits to even buy a Yenga Press at K1, 600,000. With the press, he started producing cooking oil from sunflower which earned him K2, 100,000. He then sold the pressed sunflower (Cake) to livestock owners from which he gained K500, 000. Currently, he has continued to invest much of his money (K4, 500,000) in a 5ha maize crop which he harvests every season to increase food and income security for his household.

Martin Kakubenge managing his business	Martin Kakubenge in front of his store selling an array of items

Case study: A search for fertile soils to enhance Household Food Security -Monde Kangili

Monde Kangili is a 50 year old farmer, married with 6 children (2 boys and 4 girls) and she is based in Maloba community. Although she no longer supports three of the children as they are now independent adults the family now has 3 girls left by Monde's sister who died in August 2006. All the six children attend Maloba basic school. In January 2006, her family shifted to Maloba from Namilangi and she became a member of Acre B. While in Maloba, the family was unable to have adequate food and income. Monde explains why she moved; “this is because the soils were too poor to give us proper yields and hence we could only eat once a day”.

Currently, Monde Kangili is the chairperson of the group and she was trained together with the group in sustainable agriculture technologies, livestock production, business skills, seed production and management. She grows maize, cassava, groundnuts, and sweet potatoes for consumption and is able to have 3 meals a day. She sells her surplus for income to buy clothes and pay for school fees. Monde has a K50, 000 savings in her ASCA. The major problem she is facing in Maloba is poor road networks and market access. She walks 55km to the nearest main road to find transport to market centres such as Kaoma and Mongu. She is now making a vegetable garden for rape, tomatoes and garlic to generate income using the integrated pest management skills she recently acquired at a KZF-facilitated workshop.

Monde Kangili shelling groundnuts for seed	Monde Kangili splitting soaked cassava roots

The husband to Monde Kangili, Felix Chingunde is also an active member of Maloba seed growers group and he joined in 2005. His vision is to be a specialized seed grower producing quality crop and plant seeds. He acquired skills in crop seed production, management and agro forestry through training provided by SCCI and PELUM. Through his membership in the seed growers group, he obtained groundnut seeds and training in agroforestry. Using the skills he gained in the training, he established an agro forestry plot where he is currently growing moringa, lemons, oranges and sesbania. The purpose of the plot is to have adequate production to provide food, herbal medicines, soil fertilizers and citrus fruits for income security.
Hence he wants to increase his field size by three times with the seed that he conserved through the Right to Seed programme. Both the wife and husband are active members of the group and compliment each other’s effort in ensuring food and income security within the household.

Felix Chingumbe with his moringa and orange trees	Felix exhibits the windbreakers and protection for the young trees

The husband to Monde Kangili, Felix Chingunde is also an active member of Maloba seed growers group and he joined in 2005. His vision is to be a specialized seed grower producing quality crop and plant seeds. He acquired skills in crop seed production, management and agro forestry through training provided by SCCI and PELUM. Through his membership in the seed growers group, he obtained groundnut seeds and training in agroforestry. Using the skills he gained in the training, he established an agro forestry plot where he is currently growing moringa, lemons, oranges and sesbania. The purpose of the plot is to have adequate production to provide food, herbal medicines, soil fertilizers and citrus fruits for income security.
Hence he wants to increase his field size by three times with the seed that he conserved through the Right to Seed programme. Both the wife and husband are active members of the group and compliment each other’s effort in ensuring food and income security within the household.