In the fight of survival caused by the lockdown, Bayer Crop Sciences donated 100 tonnes of maize to the Minister of Agriculture, Hon Michael JZ Katambo, for distribution in the six provinces most severely impacted by the pandemic.

Bayer needs no introduction, but their activities, causes and involvement in various projects are worthy of praise. This global enterprise is on the forefront in research in life sciences, health, and nutrition. They have a powerful vision, encapsulated in the slogan: Health for all and hunger for none.

In this regard, their latest programme is to support distressed small-scale farmers as well as smallholder dwellers while stimulating cross value chain engagement, to secure income in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Paul Kapapula, Territory Manager of Bayer, the economy will most certainly recover faster through increased farmer productivity. He noted that this will be achieved through enabling access to innovative tools for Zambian smallholder farmers and reducing their cost burden in the upcoming season.

97% of farms are smaller than ten hectares, but they produce 80% of the food in Sub-Saharan Africa. These smallholder farmers face many challenges accessing the quality and reliable products they need to produce high yields to support their families and communities.

As a result of COVID-19, smallholder farmers and food security are under even more immense stress. Lockdowns have resulted in great logistics challenges and some had difficulties accessing seed and other inputs.

Paul says: “In cooperation with their conservation farming partners, we aim to boost food security as well as aid for recovery and long-term resilience. We strive to equip farmers to grow more, using less, while collectively helping to fight climate change, conserve resources, improve lives and establish food security.”

Paul says: “We believe that better farms produce better food. It is from better farms that we create jobs and generate income. It is from better farms that strong economies are built, especially in many African countries where agriculture is their mainstay. In short, better farms lead to better lives.”

The main thrust of the programme will be the provision of free maize starter packs combined with service and knowledge of their collaborators. “This programme will be implemented on the ground by a conservation farming unit. We shall then support them through value chain linkages. This is what we are following up in the coming year,” Paul says.

This donation is worth slightly over $200 000, and is going to support 50 000 farmers. If we look at a household level of 5 persons per family, it is going to impact on 250 000 lives. But… “this is not going to be a one season donation. Next year we are going to donate another 100 metric tonnes to farmers,” Paul says. During this period over 100 000 farmers will be supported in Zambia.

After the launch in Zambia, this better farms, better lives programme will also be presented in Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Malawi, South Africa, and Mozambique. Through this programme, Bayer aims to help 700 000 smallholder farmers in Africa between 2020 and 2022.

This programme shows Bayer’s global objective to empower 100 000 000 farmers by 2030. It will strengthen smallholder farmers, who are critical for food security in Zambia and Africa, by providing them with their high-quality hybrid maize seed with continuous technical support until harvest time.

This initiative will put a special focus on female farmers to ensure they get the resources and knowledge they need to make the best of the situation in which they find themselves.

For more information on how you can benefit from Bayer, call Henry Mutelo on +26-096-759-6475 or send an e-mail to Henry.mutelo@bayer.com, or contact Emmanuel Banda on +26-096-360-4694 or send an e-mail to emmanuel.banda@bayer.com.