Annex IV: Summary of the Results of the Zambia Country Study

Commodities, Districts, Study Team and Period

The survey was conducted for maize and cassava in four districts (Kalomo, Kaoma, Chibombo and Mansa). The field study was undertaken by a six-person team of international and national consultants in post-production technology, economics and sociology, during a six week period in July and August 1997. Local activities continued until February 1998.

Government Policy

The Government of Zambia is committed to a policy of market liberalisation. Producers were ill-prepared for the change to the liberalised system and feel a lack of support. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries (MAFF) is only now undergoing the restructuring needed to improve service delivery to the agricultural sector.

The Post-production System for Maize

There appear to be no major technical difficulties associated with the harvesting and drying of maize. Manual shelling of maize is time consuming and results in a considerable level of damage to grains. Mechanical shellers are not readily available.

Storage

Producers were unprepared for the introduction of free-market trading. They are reluctant to invest in long-term storage at the farm level. There is no tradition of storing over and above household needs. There are also technical difficulties in maintaining the quality of hybrid varieties of maize. The producer needs help in analysing options to improve maize storage.

The Larger grain borer

The Larger grain borer (LGB), a new and devastating storage pest, has become established in Zambia. It poses a threat to maize and dried cassava stored on the farm and to trade, particularly at the regional level. A strategy of integrated LGB and commodity management has been prepared by the National LGB Control and Containment Programme (NLCCP). Extension advice on LGB control needs to be harmonised with the storage advice currently offered by extension personnel.

Storage insecticides

An efficient system of distribution of storage insecticides is currently lacking, particularly in the rural areas. The NLCCP is addressing the issue of insecticide for LGB. It is proposed that extension staff should actively promote the use of storage insecticides for long-term storage of maize and facilitate availability of insecticides by acting as a link between producers and insecticide distributors.

Marketing

Although the Government is committed to a policy of market liberalisation the country is still in a state of transition. The trading system is still relatively rudimentary and somewhat fragmented; traders are uncertain about the future and are reluctant to invest to enhance their business opportunities. Wholesale grain markets are developing slowly. Encouraging development of wholesale markets by the Government would provide an indicator of the stability and commitment to the liberalised marketing system that traders are seeking. The simplest requirement for grain markets would be a secure area with hardstandings and perhaps covered storage which could be rented by traders from the local authorities.

Formal grading standards for maize were abolished at liberalisation and, as a consequence, producers saw little point in supplying good quality maize to the private markets. Wholesalers have responded to the demands from the major trading companies by introducing a rudimentary form of grading. Awareness needs to be raised among producers of the benefits of supplying quality maize.

There is interest among farmers in associating to provide simple self-help groups to facilitate marketing (and access to other resources such as inputs, credit, extension advice and information). It is recommended that new policies for the development of rural associations be included in the forthcoming Co-operative Act.

The road network serving villages in rural areas is in poor condition and presents a major constraint to the efficient marketing of produce. The problem is being addressed in some areas through road rehabilitation programmes, but steps must be taken to ensure that roads are maintained.

Information on agricultural commodity prices provided by the Agricultural Market Information Centre is made available at district level and is broadcast on radio. However, a large proportion of the rural community rarely receives this information or finds it difficult to interpret. An investigation is needed to ascertain producers' felt needs for information.

Hammermills

There has been a rapid growth in hammermills in the rural areas. They relieve women of hand-pounding, but they do not necessarily lead to a saving in time because of long waiting times. A further negative consequence for women is that they are usually expected to meet the cost of milling charges from their own income-generating activities.

Mills, particularly in the remote areas, are often out of action for long periods because of mechanical breakdowns and difficulties in obtaining spare parts or failure to budget for spares. Survival of hammermill businesses depends on their cost-effectiveness and financial management. The hammermill industry is in need of support through improved access to spare parts and technical, financial and business management advice.

The Post-production System for Cassava

The major technical constraints in the cassava post-production system are in peeling, drying and processing (pounding/milling). These constraints are currently being addressed by the Root and Tuber Improvement Project in Mansa, Luapula Province. New varieties of cassava with good-sized, straight tubers and with softer skin, which is easier to peel, have already been released. Drying of cassava in the rainy season is a major constraint due to shortage of labour, and it has serious household food security implications.

Post-production extension

Extension advice on cassava has been neglected and extension advice on maize was considered unnecessary in a system that relieved producers of the technical problems associated with storage of hybrid maize. The need to improve extension on storage and marketing has been recognised by MAFF and a start was made with the FAO/MAFF project `Extension support to small-scale farmers on maize marketing and storage'. It is recommended that a strategy be developed for longer-term training, including participatory approaches to solving post-production problems for a core of post-production specialists. Post-production development strategies should be tailored to the specific circumstances of a district. Women play an important role in post-production activities but are largely ignored by the extension service. The gender imbalance is being addressed by new MAFF policies.

Post-production research

Post-production research conducted by the Food Conservation and Storage Unit (FCSU) of the Mount Makulu Research Station, has concentrated almost exclusively on the development of improved storage structures for maize. Financial and staffing constraints have limited the extent to which the FCSU can interact with extension or with producers. As a consequence, research is not targeted specifically to the needs of the producer within the liberalised market. It is recommended that FCSU personnel be out-stationed at the provincial level, to bring specialist post-production advice to district and field extension staff; and to facilitate better targeted, adaptive and participatory post-production research.

Comment on the Analytical Framework

This study focused upon post-production constraints and identified opportunities for intervention and improvement. However, it is evident that many maize producers, whilst acknowledging post-production constraints, attach higher importance to production constraints, especially the problems of input supply (fertiliser and seed) and availability of credit. Unless these issues are tackled, farmers are likely to give low priority to programmes which address only post-production constraints.