THE CHALLENGE
People living in Zambia’s Western Province are trapped in a cycle of poverty. Now climate change is presenting even greater challenges.
Zambian traditional cattle farming and climate change
For generations, traditional cattle farmers have grazed their livestock on the huge grassland plains of Western Province in Zambia.
But temperatures are rising and rains have become unreliable. Grasslands are suffering. Natural ponds are drying up.
Farmers walk their cattle long distances to water supplies or they stay close to the ponds and overgraze the land nearby.
And there are no animal health services to provide basic prevention and treatment.
What does this mean for farmers?
Farmers sell the animals that survive to informal buyers who pay low prices for low quality cattle.
And all this happens in last mile communities who lack the most basic services and opportunities.
So, the cycle of poverty deepens.
In most Zambian smallholder herds 51% of cattle die before they reach market.
In the Mafisa pilot areas:
- For every two cows sold
- More than five will die
- One will get lost
- One will be gifted or slaughtered
But with Mafisa interventions, out of every nine animals, as many as seven will be sold, and just one will die.
THE MAFISA METHOD
At Mafisa we work with cattle farming communities to transform health and livelihoods.
THE CHALLENGE
THE MAFISA METHOD
HOW WE WORK
FINANCING TRANSFORMATION
RESULTS
BEYOND ZAMBIA
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