Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre (KATC) is a farmer-training institution in Chongwe District, near Lusaka, Zambia. It was established in 1974, and began by offering a two-year family residential training programme and doing extension work with small scale farmers in the Chongwe District. In 1982, the Appropriate Technology Workshop was established and continues to this day. The workshop researches and develops equipment and tools suitable for production and use in rural areas. The workshop hosts blacksmithing courses of 6 week courses for village artisans and primary schools in the rural areas.

In 1990, KATC made the shift from conventional agriculture to organic farming and among other programs, now offers a series of short courses ranging from 3 days to 2 weeks in organic agriculture methods such as biological pest management, animal draft power, and others. It also conducts field days at its own demonstration plots, as well as at small-scale farms in the rural areas and local schools.

Through these courses, local farmers employ a combination of indigenous knowledge and new technologies to produce more food on their farms. They do so by improving soil fertility and conserving a healthy environment through the use of organic fertilizers (e.g., compost, teas and green manures) and crop rotations. Participants in KATC’s programs are also gaining practical experience in organic gardening, agroforestry (improved fallow, living fences, windbreaks and firewood), conservation tillage and organic integrated pest management. The KATC courses have been phenomenally successful, and are attended annually by about 1000 small scale farmers. KATC strives to be gender inclusive in its courses by reserving at least 30% of places in its courses for women.

KATC's director, Brother Paul Desmarais SJ, a Canadian, has been at KATC since 1971 and works with a highly qualified team of agronomists, biologists, animal specialists, an agri-business specialist, foresters, blacksmiths and a variety of administrative staff and volunteers.

In 2009, KATC’s success was recognized by a visit by former Zambian leader, President Kenneth Kaunda, and by the highly prestigious Rijk Zwaan Plant Sciences Award in the Netherlands which was awarded to then KATC staffer Peter Msimuko.

For more information on KATC, visit their website www.loyno.edu/~katc/ or contact Canadian Jesuits International. Click here to give to KATC online.