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programs
Changing Lives
While focusing on strong relationships, we strive to assist smallholder farmers to engage in a successful and sustainable agribusiness sufficient to provide for the needs of their families. Additionally, we seek to develop a community wide plan for hunger alleviation. The result would seek increased self-confidence, self-sufficiency, and resilience. We believe there is immense potential to reach this goal. This belief is based on the current strengths of the community and the opportunities to solve existing challenges.
Development
Zambia-Iowa Agricultural Partners is focused on long-term sustainable development. This work identifies area strengths and needs with a focus on empowering individuals, leaders, and communities to develop skills and solve existing, often entrenched, problems bringing about lasting change. We work in a network of pastor-farmers who share a passion to improve local agribusiness while decreasing hunger in their communities. Their leadership abilities, commitment, and strong relationships are readily evident and a critical element to program success. This leadership is enhanced by support from both the local village chief and mayor.
Our Strategy
We began with a careful assessment of agricultural and cultural conditions in the Petauke District of Zambia. This is followed with leadership training in business practices and financial planning for proposed improvements. Five main development targets have been identified: Improved methods for maize production, implement practices aimed at reducing post-harvest loss, partner with schools to plan and implement school gardens, establish community gardens, and train villagers in business planning and financial analysis.
Shared Work
As we implement programs aimed at achieving our mission and strategy, we have established some basic principles to encourage success. Training is not limited to improved agricultural production or storage methods, though this is important. Ongoing coaching, education, and support will be integral to our programing. In addition, training will emphasize improving the farmer’s ability to identify their own problems, assess possible solutions, trial the choice solution on a small scale and evaluate the result. This training will better equip the farmer to implement ongoing improvements on their own farms and respond to future conditions, yet unidentified.