INTRODUCTION
The Seed Entrepreneurship for Economic Development and Food Security (SEEDFS) project is designed to increase food security and incomes of farming communities through enhanced seed sovereignty for 100,000 rural small-scale farmers. Beneficiaries will include existing seed grower associations and farmers groups. The project is being funded by the European Union.
LOCATION
The SEEDFS Project is taking place across ten districts in Zambia: at Senanga and Lukulu in Western Province; Chibombo in Central Province; Kafue in Lusaka Province; Kasempa and Solwezi in North Western Province; Mpika in Northern Province; and at Katete, Lundazi and Chipata in Eastern Province.
ECONOMY
Zambia is one of Sub-Saharan Africa's most highly urbanized countries, with almost half of the country’s 11.5 million people living in urban areas.
Rural economic development has been slow however, and challenges such as population growth, HIV/AIDS, and poor services make rural communities amongst the poorest in the country. The country’s public debt remains extremely high, although it has fallen from over 130% of GDP in 2004 to a level of just over 31%.
Zambia is a major exporter of copper, although most people rely on small-scale agriculture for their survival. Poor access to good quality seed is a major challenge for small-holder farmers.
PROJECT OBJECTIVE
The overall objective of the Seed Entrepreneurship for Economic Development and Food Security (SEEDFS) project is to increase food security and incomes of farming communities through enhanced seed sovereignty for 100,000 rural small-scale farmers.
The project is seeking to increase access and timely supply of good quality seeds and other agricultural inputs suitable for 100,000 resource poor rural farmers. This will be achieved through delivering:
- Increased production of diverse quality seed for small-scale farmers in ten districts across Zambia
- Increased availability and access to foundation seeds of locally bred and improved seeds by seed growers in Zambia.
- Creating an enabling environment created for production, distribution and marketing of seeds and other agricultural inputs for small-scale farmers
- Increasing agriculture productivity through use of sustainable agriculture methods.
The project is being undertaken in collaboration with a number of local NGO partners and agencies, including:
- Mthilakubili Sustainable Agriculture Project (MK-SAP)
- Eastern Province Farmers Cooperative (EPFC)
- Organization for Promotion of Meaningful Development through Active Participation (OPAD)
- Keepers Zambia Foundation (KZF)
- NIRAS Zambia
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
Increasing production of diverse quality seed for small-scale farmers in ten districts across Zambia, and increasing availability and access to locally bred and improved foundation seed by seed growers in Zambia.
The SEEDFS will also seek to foster an enabling environment for production, distribution and marketing of seeds and other agricultural input, with the result leading to increased agricultural productivity. |
