Zambia: Improvement of Indigenous small livestock

The Rural Women Assembly has a program to promote indigenous village chicken or goat and seeds for rural women small scale farmers. The program will give an opportunity for the women farmers in both rural and peri-urban areas around Zambia to own these small animal livestock, share their experiences, knowledge and practices in the management of these animals with the use of indigenous information pass on from our ancestors from generation to generation. This will bring together to light the fading precious methods of keeping these animals not adequately shared in our communities especially to youth generation of this century.

The specific objectives of this project to uphold and understand the roles of indigenous knowledge and plays food security and nutrition. To raise awareness among policy makers, private sector and the general public on the importance of indigenous small livestock in the quest to improve dietary systems for better health in national agenda. Help to increase incomes for women and youths and strengthen argument on indigenous agricultural systems as sustainable ways of managing environment for growth.

The main activities are:

• Education on women and development are shared in various platforms in their areas.
• Community meetings to share information on women rights and recruit those interest in the subject.
• Capacity Building training- various training is conducted to ensure women understand their role in society especially participation in decision making processes.
• Informed stakeholders on the climate change, small livestock as a business and nutrition status in Zambia.
• General Public informed for positive change of mindset on the use of indigenous knowledge and on dietary system that will enhanced commitment for dietary change.
• Increased incomes through keeping indigenous small livestock managed with indigenous knowledge.

The project has benefited about 30 Direct beneficiaries . The project reaches 180 indirect beneficiaries.

The Rural Women assembly Zambia allocated $2 000 to this project. In kind contributions amounted to $100. The total budget for the project is $ $2 100.

The key tools for monitoring and evaluation used for this project, the member send in reports on the project, and also have visits to sites.

The main challenge faced is resource to expand to other areas. there is need for capacity building to sustain the project. the project needs structures to ensure maximum delivery of benefits. the animals need built structures and items such as fencing wires to protect them from prey. there is need to advocate more on policies to recognise the importance of indigenous small animals for food security.

The women are economically empowered. the project is for income generation and also nutrition contribution at household level.

Docus shonga said – Keeping indigenous small animal is profitable because the resources used to raise them do not need monetary expenses.

Most of the women on these projects are married and have support from the husbands. our community meeting involve men and the traditional leadership.

Mr Geofrey Shonga – My madam project is self-sustaining, I have also joined her am keeping the African goats. most of the knowledge we use on these animals is similar.

The pass on program has encouraged women to participate in the program. there is provision of these animals to community during ceremonies, they do not have to go far to get the commodities.

Communities appreciate the use of indigenous knowledge to keep small livestock and birds. people appreciate nature and environment management because they need for feeding the animals.

During the agricultural shows the policy makers showed interest in supporting us. we have been approached by some of them to start projects on the same.

The project is sustainable because the materials required are right in the place where the small scale farmers are. There is demand for the indigenous chicken and goats as such the demand can sustain the activity.