FARMERS’ CLUBS PROGRAM in Zimbabwein Zimbabwe

Development Aid from People to People ZimbabweDevelopment Aid from People to People ZimbabweHumana People to People

The backgroundThe backgroundSmall-scale farmers constitute 70% of Zimbabwe’sSmall scale farmers constitute 70% of Zimbabwe s farmers. Farmers’ Clubs will compliment other existing efforts to ensure food security after considering theefforts to ensure food security after considering the following:

P d ti f h d t h i l i t Productive farmers who needs technical assistance

Favorable climatic conditions for diversified farming

A lot of water resources which is not fully utilized

L k f h k l d t d t i l l Lack of enough knowledge to produce at maximum level using low cost input.

The global backgroundThe global background

The global strategy for feeding the people has failed. The strategy has proven in so far as it serves only part of the world while others suffer.

Another strategy is a must for the majority of the people in the third world. Such strategy must include the many millions of small scale farmersfarmers.

Humana People to People believes that well planned and executed action can empower the necessary and basic defense force of mankind againstcan empower the necessary and basic defense force of mankind against disasters connected to mismanagement of food production and distribution.

THAT WOULD BE THE SMALL SCALE FARMER

We suggest to start 1Farmers’ Clubs project in Zimbabwe

The program will involve 3.000 small farmers in improving their The program will involve 3.000 small farmers in improving their farming, creating food security and producing for sales over a 3 year period.

The farmers will be organized in 60 Farmers’ Clubs of 50 farmers.

The program will start in the province of the Government’s The program will start in the province of the Government s choice.

The 3 year program is part of a bigger vision for how the y p g p ggfarmers can become big scale farmers contributing to national production. The first 3 years of the program can be carried out in their own right.in their own right.

A Sustainable Food Security and Family Economy Development Initiative by Development Aid from People to People in Zimbabwe

Farmers’ Clubs - 15 years experienceHumana People to People has successfully implemented Farmers’ Clubs programs overimplemented Farmers  Clubs programs over 15 years. Currently the program are:

• 18.000 farmers in Malawi 

• 11.000 farmers in Mozambique

• 18.000 farmers in Zimbabwe

• 1.500 farmers in Angola

F Zi b bFor Zimbabwe we propose: 

1 x 3.000 farmers in Farmers’ Clubs for 3 yearsy

The IdeaThe IdeaThe idea of The Farmers’ Clubs program is to 

organize small farmers to join forces and resources together, to f h h i l l d i f h f blfurther the agricultural production of each farmer to enable them improve their living standard,

ff id f l t l ti i t d l t h l i loffer ideas for low cost solutions, introduce low technological farming methods and provide financial support systems to tricker the process of economical developmenttricker the process of economical development

teach farmers to be efficient in food production, to create surplus and to sell the produce.su p us a d to se t e p oduce

improve the overall living conditions of the farmer families within nutrition, health, disease prevention and sanitation., , p

The organization of a Farmer’s Club

ProjectDAPP Farmers’ Club is

project aiming to contribute to the

Zimbabwe agricultural developmentdevelopment

Ministry of AgricultureMinistry of Agriculture extension workers and

veterinary workers d h lprovide technical

support to Farmers’ Club projects and p j

farmers

Farmers’ Clubs Program comprises 17 areas for activitya e s C ubs og a co p ses a eas o ac y

1 Farming- timely farming, new ways of farming, climate change mitigation

2 Learning- how to… when to… - preparing land and seeds, new crops

Learning by doing3 Learning by doing- field demonstrations, community gardens, weekly club actions

4 Formidable growers 4- best practices shown and explained, environmental farming

5 Organic Garden & Garden Farming - growing 10 different vegetables, wells for irrigation, installing pumpsg o g 0 d e e t egetab es, e s o gat o , sta g pu ps

6 Mastering the stable food crop- efficiency and sufficiently, calculations of stable food farming

7 Family - increased nutrition and health, malaria control, clean water & sanitation

8 Foundation for Future8 Foundation for Future- buying & selling of produce, processing produce, micro credit schemes

9 Community Lifespreading and sharing experience to the benefit of the community- spreading and sharing experience to the benefit of the community

10 Club Life- weekly and monthly meetings, field days, gatherings

11 Adding low level irrigation - well drilling, rope pump installation, low cost irrigation systems

Adding low level husbandry12 Adding low level husbandry- rearing goats, pigs or chicken, pass-on-loan systems, animal health

13 Mastering crops13 g p- for own and local consumption, crop diversification, high value crops

14 Adding more tools and better tools- ongoing development of the possibilities credit schemesongoing development of the possibilities, credit schemes

15 Relying on own hands and hands of extended family- creating the fundament for the family’s development

16 Lessons by Farming Instructor- getting to know how to get the maximum outcome by own efforts

17 Discussions together in the club17 Discussions together in the club- taking advice from the others, giving advice, planning days, field visits...

Expected impact of Farmers ClubExpected impact of Farmers Club

Water AccessFarmers’ Clubs

Committee:

Food Security

Well

Committee:5 Members

W l h Well Organized

Improved Health

Improved Land use

Wealth

HealthLand use

25% Increase in yield per acre30% Increase in value of production 50% Increase production of vegetables40% Practice of Conservation Farming methods75% Increase knowledge about health and disease20% Of the farmers get access to water for farming 50% Of farmer families get access to clean drin king water

After 3 yearsAfter 3 years The farmers have changed the way they do farmingg y y g

The farmers acknowledge the benefits of being organized

The clubs are working and both professional and social life is flourishing

Garden farming as an integrated part of the farming

Conservation farming is adopted among the farmers Conservation farming is adopted among the farmers

The foundation for further economical development is therethere

The farmers have ambitions and hope for a better future

Links are established with agricultural services

Economy of 1 Farmers’ Club of 3000 farmersEconomy of 1 Farmers Club of 3000 farmers

Total costs for one farmer per month 16 US$Total costs for one farmer per month 16 US$Total costs for one farmer for 3 years are 590 US$

Total costs of 1 Farmers Club program for 3 years are 1.782.000 US$Total costs of 1 Farmers Club program for 3 years are 1.782.000 US$45% of total costs are direct inputs to farmers 800.000 US$

Project costs decrease as the farmers get trained

1st year: 48% of total costs2nd year: 37% of total costs3rd year: 15% of total costs

Total costs of 1 Farmers Club program for 3 years is 1.782.000 US$

Input in Farmers Club 3 years programInput in Farmers Club 3 years program

Establishment of 600 low-tech water systems for Establishment of 600 low-tech water systems for irrigation

1 000 P l f ll h b d i l 1,000 Pass on loans for small husbandry animals

300 selected farmers get toolsg

100 selected farmers get small grants of input

Purchase of 60 Conservation Farming equipment for common use

Establishment of 6 small processing facilities as grinding mills, oil presses, honey productiong d g s, o p esses, o ey p oduct o