MAIZE-TOBACCO FARMIN

closed

The Mukonchi Training Unit, which has been placed under the TBZ is located in the Central Province, north of Lusaka. The Training Unit consists of ten nucleus estates of 350 acres each. The nucleus estates operate as commercial farms in addition to providing training facilities. At present, Mukonchi trains 25 new farmers each year. Under the proposed project, the training capacity at Mukonchi will be doubled. Farmers will undergo a training period of four years after which they will be settled on farms developed under the second part of the project as described below. The second component of the project would be the development of new farms, which would support annual production of tobacco and maize. Most of the farms would be allotted to graduates of Mukonchi and to other Zambian farmers with adequate experience. In both cases the farmers would be supervised and assisted by the Mukonchi staff and, for purposes of the project, are classified as assisted tenant farmers. Finally, the project would also provide for one specialist in smallholder tobacco growing to enable TBZ to prepare and implement the so-called One-Acre Scheme. Under this Scheme, small farmers who usually cultivate one acre or less, will be trained and supervised in growing tobacco.