An impact assessment of the Farm seed multiplication project in Mumbwa District

Abstract

This study was an impact assessment of the ASP Farm Seed Multiplication (FSM) Project on target beneficiary farmers of Mumbwa District in the Central Province of Zambia. The reason why Mumbwa District was chosen was because it was the nearest one of the successful districts in which the ASP - OFSM project was operating from. The broader objective of the study was to assess the impact of the ASP- OFSM project on target beneficiaries of operational camps of Chibila, Kabwanga, Kapyanga, Makombwe, Mamvule, Martin Luther, Matala, Milandu, Mumba scheme, Mupona, and Shimbizhi. In all these Eighty Five (85) participating farmers were interviewed. Purposive sampling was used to select all ASP participating small scale seed growers. Data collection was conducted using a structured questionnaires. The data was coded, captured and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Scientist (SPSS) software to generate descriptive statistics. The findings from the study showed that there was some percentage of change in the livelihood of small scale seed growers. This was evidenced by Majority of the beneficiary house holds were now more food secured than before. This is seen from the period when most farmers started seed multiplication under the ASP project. There was also an increase in their incomes as seen from increased acquisition of assets like bicycles, motor bikes, vehicles, tractors, livestock, house hold goods (televisions, radios), Livestock, houses (building materials), and meeting other family living expenses (groceries and money for maize milling) have been some of the clear indicators that their welfare has improved due to seed multiplication. Despite the project success, the study also found that farmers had a major challenge in terms of marketing of their seed crop. It is therefore recommended that seed growers should consider programmed alternating of growing seed per season. Government should consider too purchasing seed from the small scale farmers in case of subsidised seed. Farmers also should be helped to establish a simple standard of record keeping instead of depending on the recall system. MACO through SCCI and ZARI should ensure that there is always high Quality parent materials for seed multiplication failure to which the small scale seed growers will in fiiture just be multiplying grain as seed. In the same vein Govt should increase funding to SCCI Local authorities to consider giving titles to land used for seed production so as to enable farmers observe husbandry practices such as crop rotation and seed crop isolation recommendations. An ex post evaluation study should be carried out as this would be very helpful in establishing a long term impact and sustainability of the project