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From Surviving to Thriving: How E-SLIP is Improving the Lives of Rural Farmers in Zambia

Livestock farming is one of the most important economic activities in many rural communities, especially in Zambia. It provides food and is a source of income and nutrition for rural communities. The Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries through its Enhanced Smallholder Livestock Investment Program (E-SLIP) has been intervening in various ways, to support small-scale farmers in Zambia to sustainably improve their incomes through improved livestock management and productivity.

During a recent field visit to Chongwe District, International Fund For Agricultural Development (IFAD) Country Director for Zambia, Dr. Philip Baumgartner, expressed his admiration for the farmers participating in the programme. He praised their knowledge and enthusiasm; and emphasized the importance of their partnership in the Programme’s success.

One of the success stories Dr Baumgartner was able to listen to, was 46-year-old Ophemia Zulu who said she was grateful to be a beneficiary of a dairy cow through E- SLIP which has changed her life. With the income she generated from selling the milk, she has been able to educate two of her children up to tertiary level.

Ophemia said the support she received from E-SLIP has not only improved her own life, but also that of her children. She has influenced them to be active farmers and has passed on the knowledge and skills she gained from the Programme.

"I am so grateful for the support I received from E-SLIP. The dairy cow has been a game changer for me and my family. Not only have I been able to generate income from selling the milk, but I have also been able to educate my children. I have since influenced my children to be active farmers and I am so proud of what we have been able to achieve," said Ophemia.

Meanwhile, at the Chalimbana Veterinary Camp, District Veterinary Officer, Dr. Mwaka Namwila, elaborated on the positive impact of E-SLIP’s Animal Disease Control interventions. She noted that there has been good response from the communities to East Coast Fever (ECF) immunization exercises in the past few years but disclosed that some farmers in other areas are still reluctant to participating due to the required subsidized fee of K40 among other reasons.

As a result, E-SLIP continues to use different channels, such as trainings and the media, to sensitize farmers on the importance of vaccinations..

One of the farmers who is an active participant in the surrendering his calves for ECF immunisations is 22-year-old Wellington Saka. Since he began vaccinating his calves in 2019, he has not had any mortalities and his herd has grown from 15 to 29.

"Since I started vaccinating my calf in 2019, I have not had any mortalities. My herd has grown from 15 to 29, and I am so grateful. I am able to support my siblings' education, and I have the program to thank for that," Wellington said.

E-SLIP is a programme that has been supported by IFAD and thus was among the IFAD-supported interventions that the IFAD Country Director was interested in knowing more about.

The Director noted that E-SLIP had significant strides towards impacting rural poor households and that there was now need to help these communities propel themselves into further economic improvement.

“Going forward, it is important for the government to address some of the challenges facing small-scale farmers which include improving market linkages and creating value chains that benefit small-scale farmers,” Dr. Baumgartner said.