Bamboo outgrower scheme creates opportunities for diversification
By Mainecy Hampeyo, Regional Manager – Lusaka Region
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| Photo: Mukuwa in his bamboo field/ Gift Chanda |
In 2015, Albida Agriculture introduced a bamboo outgrower scheme in Chongwe District supported by Musika. The scheme was meant to assist in reforestation of land devastated by the indiscriminate cutting down of trees for charcoal production which is driven by the high demand from urban areas.
Gastone Mukuwa, a forty-year-old farmer living in Chimbwete village, in Chongwe district was one of the beneficiaries who first planted 100 bamboo seedlings on a 1lima plot.
Because the bamboo needed five years for it to mature, Albida Agriculture encouraged farmers to have an alternative source of income by planting soya beans in between the 10 metre spaces between the bamboo trees, and provided the seed on loan. The soya beans was also important for fixing nitrogen back into the soil.
During the first season, Mukuwa harvested 0.65 tonnes of soya beans with Albida Agriculture providing a ready market for the crop. The income raised encourage him to expand his bamboo plantation to 3lima in the 2017/2018 season, and planted 2ha of soya beans which gave him a harvest of 2.6ha valued at K9,100.
“I used to mainly plant maize which was less profitable compared to soya beans. Last marketing season, the price of soya beans on the market was K1.40 per kg but Albida was buying at K4 per kg which was earlier agreed,” he said.
Mukuwa has invested his income raised from the production of soya beans into vegetable gardening and pigs for sale. As a long term investment, he anticipates an income of K15,000 per month from the bamboo plantation once the trees mature.
“The bamboo outgrower scheme has inspired me and many other farmers to join because there is a ready market provided by Albida for the soya beans and the bamboo once the trees are fully grown,” he pointed out.