COMACO Rice Farmers Anxious For Markets but Drought and Elephants Give Concern to Others

With the help of COMACO extension staff, an outstanding variety of Chama Rice is now available to 1000’s of farmers throughout Luangwa Valley. Using its trucks, extension staff, and network of community depots, COMACO has managed to distribute over 40 tons of the improved variety rice seeds to farmers, allowing rice to become an important source of income for poor farmers in this region of Zambia. Farmers are now realizing for the first time that farming pays and poaching does not. Overall, COMACO expects to purchase over 1100 tons of rice from its registered farmers this year while offering a premium price for farmers who comply with conservation guidelines. While 1000’s of farmers are now seeing great opportunity in this market, not all is well.

COMACO introduced Chama rice seeds to Luangwa District in 2005 and today there are 368 farmers participating as rice farmers. Alex Mpuka is one of these farmers and he received his rice seeds for planting last year and expects a very good harvest and through his compliance of conservation will be eligible for COMACO’s premium prices.” COMACO has been offering good prices to rice farmers that follow Conservation requirements. This year I also want to enjoy COMACO markets and I hope to earn over K1,200,000 for the first time from growing rice,” said Alex.

In recent years, COMACO farmers have demonstrated their cooperation and support of COMACO by ensuring rice brought to the depots is clean and free of particles that impede processing. This has reduced the cost of processing and helps COMACO to become more sustainable as a business enterprise. Because of reliable payments by COMACO, farmers are also now willing to leave their rice at their local COMACO depot as they wait for payments to follow. This facilitates a more rapid bulking of commodities by the trading centers.

During a joint monitoring programme of rice fields, carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operation (MACO) through the District Agricultural Co-coordinator’s office and Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS) in Mphuka chiefdom, the District Community Officer Mr. White Nyirenda said he was impressed with COMACO rice fields “ I think we all need to start promoting the growing of rice, because it does very well compared to maize and other cereals in this region,” said Mr. Nyirenda.

Mr. Nyirenda’s statement was seconded by the District Agricultural Co-coordinator Mr. Christopher Simutowe who also emphasized on the need to change the mind set of people in the District so that they could start diversifying their crops, as well. Mr. Simutowe further noted that such projects like COMACO needed to be supported by the Government, as they significantly helped in the reduction of hunger and poverty by offering households a sustainable way of maintaining a liveable income to rural communities who cooperate with conservation.