Summary
A proposal pilot scheme aimed at harnessing the potential of Agricultural Seeds and Services LTD to improve smallholder food security.
Description
The proposal describes an innovative pilot program which comes at a highly appropriate time when Zimbabwe is embarking on agricultural recovery. The administrative, resource and grower base of AgriSeeds is utilised to assist 2,200 smallholder farmer households (13,200 people) in two provinces become food secure.
Farmers will also be contracted to grow seed for food crops (sorghum, cowpeas and groundnuts) which are important food sources for rural Zimbabweans.
Income security of contracted farmers will also be secured through guaranteed minimum market prices. Farmer beneficiaries will be expected repay input loans to AgriSeeds which will credit a revolving fund.
Benefits accruing to farmers include:
- food security
- income security
- training in Good Agricultural Practices
- training in basic business management.
Benefits to the company include:
- seed supply
- improved productivity and reliability of contract grower base
- good will from growers and local authorities
- potential increase of grower base.
Food security will also be enhanced at the national level because food seeds are in short supply at national level.
Sustainability of the program is met in a number of ways. Firstly, the use of farming methods that conserve soil and water will introduce growers to a sustainable farming system. Secondly, farmers will continue to receive embedded agricultural services and guaranteed markets through the continuation of the contract farming system with AgriSeeds. Thirdly, project sustainability is guaranteed by the establishment of a revolving input fund which will circulate input loan repayments made by farmer beneficiaries to guarantee input supply for the coming years.
Pilot proposal to harness the potential of Agricultural Seeds and Services (Pvt) Ltd. to improve smallholder food security (PDF 855kb)
Pilot proposal to harness the potential of Agricultural Seeds and Services (Pvt) Ltd. to improve smallholder food security (Word 1.21mb)