Farmer-to-farmer training in Zambia

In Zambia, small-scale farmers often lack the necessary knowledge to use pesticides effectively and responsibly. As a sparsely populated country with poor transport and communications infrastructure, many farmers have limited access to agricultural training and knowledge.

Small-scale agriculture makes an important contribution to livelihoods and economic development in Zambia - nearly four-fifths of Zambia’s farmers practice small-scale subsistence farming. However, their productivity levels are low and consequently, food insecurity is rife and over 70% of Zambians live below the poverty line.  A lack of preventive measures from invasive species is a key challenge for small-scale farmers.

“To help maximise their agricultural productivity farmers need information about the responsible use of pesticides, how to identify genuine pesticides and how to apply these in the most effective way,” said Perry Ngoma of CropLife Zambia.

To help address this challenge, two years ago, CropLife Zambia, along with its partner PROFIT/USAID, set up the Spray Service Providers (SSP) Programme to help reach small-scale farmers across the country.

The SSP training programme focuses on understanding pesticide labels, the different classifications of pesticides, transportation and storage methods, and best practice for preparation and environmentally responsible use in the field. Once they have received the training, these farmers become official Spray Service Providers (SSPs), and are now servicing the rest of their farming communities.

This initiative has been accompanied by a public information campaign, introducing the SSPs to the farmers, the services they provide and – importantly - how to identify genuine SSPs. Radio adverts, translated into local languages, have been broadcast in key public areas, to raise farmers’ awareness about the new service. As requests to become SSPs from individual farmers have risen, those already trained have begun to be hired for spraying by bigger farming enterprises, bringing new employment opportunities.

Between 2008 and 2009, a total of 2,700 farmers were trained by 19 trainers to become SSPs. These SSPs then serviced over 4,800 farmers in total. On average, each primary trainer managed to reach over 250 smallholder farmers. As such, the programme has provided a successful model for passing on knowledge and skills to small-scale farmers.

The education programme also reached out to pesticide dealers to ensure that shops are managed responsibly and stockists can give accurate advice to farmers buying pesticides. Last year, CropLife Zambia signed a year-long partnership agreement with CARE Internationalto provide training to approximately 500 pesticide stockists over 9 districts, covering the role of pesticides in integrated pest management (IPM), classification and formulation of pesticides, related health and safety issues, understanding product labelling and product storage.

Additionally, the SSP scheme addresses the growing number of counterfeit pesticides are entering the Zambian market. Without proper guidance, small-scale farmers are vulnerable to mistaking counterfeit pesticides for industry-certified products.  The SSP scheme trains participating farmers on how to avoid using harmful counterfeit products, and at the same time relieves other farmers from the responsibility of purchasing and storing pesticides, as SSPs take on that role within villages.

The project has extended its reach as far as the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS), where laboratory staff are now trained to be able to test for counterfeit pesticides. By testing all imported products on point of entry into the country, it is hoped this will help stop the distribution of counterfeit pesticides into Zambia. Collaboration with the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) ensures that offenders will be held to account and any counterfeit products will be disposed of safely and correctly.

Continued farmer training is essential for ensuring that communities have up-to-date information on best practice in pesticide use and new innovations in crop production.  To make a significant, lasting impact on farmers’ livelihoods, these farmer training programmes must be complemented with improved access to credit and inputs as well as transport and communication links for getting to market.     

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