Jane Mponda farms the land in Zambia. Photo: KATC

More than 1,200 small-scale farmers and their families in Zambia's Chongwe district have achieved sustainable livelihoods through organic farming techniques they learned at the Kasisi Agricultural Training Center (KATC).

Canadian Jesuits International (CJI) supports KATC, a Jesuit agricultural training institute in Zambia that promotes organic, sustainable agriculture to produce healthier, more abundant crops that benefit farmers and their communities.

Recognized as a leading agricultural centre in Africa, KATC empowers rural communities by improving their livelihoods through organic farming and promoting holistic and democratic rural development through courses, research and advocacy. It strives to be gender inclusive, reserving at least 30% of places in its courses for women.

KATC's overall goal is to contribute to care for the earth, sustainable development, poverty alleviation, food security, health and nutrition, and rural livelihoods.

Watch video: About KATC 

The project at a glance:

Beneficiaries

Direct: 1,200 small-scale farmers and their families in Chongwe District. Other projects in southern, western and eastern provinces.

Indirect: Approximately 10,000 farmers reached through multipliers and farmer-to-farmer training.

Budget: $500,000

Activities

  • Organic agriculture courses (three days to two weeks), where farmers are equipped with local knowledge and new technologies to produce more food, and gain experience in gardening, agro-forestry, conservation tillage and organic pest management
  • Courses also feature an HIV-AIDS module, which explains how organic agriculture alleviates poverty, boosts food security, and provides more nutritious food for HIV-positive and non-HIV positive populations alike.
  • A two-year Diploma Program in Agroecology in collaboration with the University of Zambia (UNZA). The remote study program is designed primarily for people who are already working in the agricultural field. They can acquire in-depth knowledge on organic farming and spread it further.On May 2023, the CJI Board approved a $30,000 request to support KATC’s Agroecology Education Project. Funds will support 15 or 30 bursaries offered by the program. The bursary covers 60% of the total school fees for two years. The second half of the funds will contribute to the construction of a multi-purpose building that will host a library, laboratory and teacher’s offices.  While the project directly supports the diploma program, it will indirectly benefit other KATC projects in the areas of education, youth empowerment, and agroecology.  
  • The landscape project works not only with individual farmers but with two communities. The community identifies their environmental problems and develop strategies to solve them with help from KATC.
  • Study circles, where 7 to 12 farmers come together and discuss issues and topics they want to learn more about.
  • Demo plots demonstrate the advantages of organic farming.
  • Community seed banks help to save the genetic diversity of the local communities.
  • Biofertiliser enterprises help farmers to develop an enterprise and gain some income, as well as improving the soil health.

KATC Director: Claus Recktenwald SJ

Video: A New Way of Farming at Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre

Website: https://katczm.com/

Please support the work of KATC:

TOP