Kukwiza Scale-up
Kukwiza Scale-up Project contributes to the Multiplication and Commercialization of Agricultural Seeds in Nhamatanda
This is your chance to take that life-changing adventure, find your purpose in service, create life-long friendships, and see faith in a new, transformative way. ADRA Connections is ADRA's short-term volunteer program that takes you into the field to put compassion into action and make an impact for communities in need. No experience necessary!
This is Maria Lázaro, who lives in the Mutambarico II neighborhood, in the town of Chirassicua, Nhamantada district, Sofala province. She is 22 years old, married and the mother of three children (all male). She lives in a precarious house, made of local materials, with her husband, her three children and her mother-in-law, and she tells us her story. "I'm a mother of three. Before joining this project, my main source of survival was subsistence farming, my monthly income ranged from 500 to 700mt and I didn't do any business."
In October 2022, ADRA extended the Kukwiza project to Kukwiza Scale-up, thus increasing the number of beneficiaries and school groups in the peasant field from 80 to 117 groups, with the project due to end in December 2023. It was in this context that Maria Lázaro was registered and became part of this project.
"I am one of the seed multipliers, thanks to ADRA. I became a member of this project in October 2022, and straight away we received training in good production practices for maize and cowpeas; we received training in multiplying various types of seeds.
NAt the moment, my husband and I have an area of approximately 1 ha of sesame seed multiplication." he said.
As part of the Kukwiza project, ADRA has created links with product markets, with more than four buyers, in order to facilitate the marketing of the agricultural surpluses of the beneficiary small producers, and Mrs. Maria has benefited from the money from the recurring sales and increased her source of income. "As well as being able to make money from selling the seeds, I can guarantee that I'll have good seed for the next crop year and that can help increase my production."
Maria Lázaro said that she would like partnerships with produce markets not to be canceled even if the project ends, as this has benefited them greatly, "Even if the project ends, we would like our partnership with the Phoenix seed company not to be canceled so that we can continue to produce seeds for them." said and he added "If so, next year we will extend our production areas, from 1ha to 2ha/3ha just to produce sesame seed, and this could improve our lives significantly, since they buy at 100mt/Kg, compared to other markets in the Nhamatanda district that buy at 65-80mt/kg." He emphasized.
This is your chance to take that life-changing adventure, find your purpose in service, create life-long friendships, and see faith in a new, transformative way. ADRA Connections is ADRA's short-term volunteer program that takes you into the field to put compassion into action and make an impact for communities in need. No experience necessary!
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