Food Security for Hungry Families in Zambia

African Artists Community Development Program (AACDP) Communal Farm 

2022 was a great year of growth and learning for the AACDP Communal Farm, resulting from the hard work and ingenuity of the farmers, primarily mothers and grandmothers of children with disabilities in Livingstone, Zambia. They have already begun feeding their families healthy food they’ve grown themselves.

The previous year the AACDP acquired land for the farm. After having it cleared and a well dug, the farmers planted staple crops. In our April 2022 GlobalGiving report, we outlined the next four steps necessary to lead the farm toward self-sufficiency, and are very happy to report the following progress:

1. Creating a vegetable garden: Situated on land served by the first irrigation system, the vegetable garden has already provided crops of cabbage, chard and lettuce. 
2. Starting a goat rearing project: A housing shed has been built, and the first 10 goats were purchased in October. We plan to purchase 10 more in the near future.
3. Installing a second solar submersible water pump system: The second well has been dug, the pump has been purchased and installed. The blocks to support the tank are being made. We still must install the tank, build solar stands and install panels. When that is completed, drip lines can be connected to bring the water to the fields.
4. Purchasing a farm vehicle: A very generous donor contributed funds for a farm vehicle! Sydney Mwamba, our manager in Zambia, located a great used vehicle, a large & capable SUV appropriate for transporting both people and produce.

So the farm is on the path toward self sustainability. As we complete the current projects, we think of the future. 

The next urgent task is fencing the farm to protect crops from the local cattle which roam freely, and to protect the goats from theft.

Looking forward to the near-future we plan to start a fruit orchard! Orange, mango, lemon, banana, guava, avocado trees and more! Talk about seeing the fruits of your labors!!  We also need to build some simple housing so that the farmers and volunteers can stay at the farm from time to time. 

It won't be long before these women will not only cooperatively grow their own food, but also be able to sell their produce to the community.

Tuesday, November 29, 2022 is Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement, a day when people around the world come together for one common purpose: to celebrate and encourage generosity. This year GlobalGiving is offering a $1,200,000 Incentive Fund that will be distributed to participants based on the total of their funds raised on Giving Tuesday from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM. 

The AACDP has greatly benefitted from previous matching donations from GlobalGiving, and we hope people will seize this year-end opportunity to have their generosity increased. In addition to counting toward the incentive fund match, new monthly donations are also eligible for a one time 100% match (up to $200, paid after four monthly payments). If you are interested in playing an ongoing role in the development of the Communal Farm, Giving Tuesday is the perfect time to help this hardworking and deserving community.

Links:

• AACDP web site

As I write this report, a second solar irrigation system is being purchased for the Communal Farm in Zambia, paid for by your generous donations to our July GlobalGiving campaign. 

The second pump will make it possible to grow soybeans, groundnuts and corn, the all-important staple crops for both personal consumption and sale, even when Mother Nature does not provide the necessary water. Because of severe drought, the first plantings of these crops early in 2022 did not yield well, either in quantity or quality. With the progression of global climate change, it is likely that drought will be more and more prevalent in the coming years. This is why our priority is the installation of the second system, which will irrigate the parcel of the land dedicated to the staple crops. Next year’s yields should be much better.

Meanwhile, vegetables are flourishing on the parcel served by the original pump. One hundred heads of cabbage and two large fields of “spinach" (what we call chard) will add welcome freshness to our community’s diet, as well as some sorely needed income.

Funds from our previous GlobalGiving campaign are being used to build an enclosure and a large shed for housing goats. Once complete, the first goats can be purchased, and the goat rearing can begin! Besides being a crop that can be sold for profit, the goats will also keep the bush under control (the speed at which the African bush reclaims cleared land is truly amazing!) and provide valuable fertilizer for the vegetable crops.

With diligence and hard work, the farm should eventually become self-sustaining. Our farmers are determined to feed their families by growing their own food, and every gift that you give will help them reach their goal.