Farmers benefiting from the ASNAPP vegetable production project in the Livingstone area of Zambia have made their first US $1 million income since the project started in 2006. The project involves several vulnerable community members, including orphans and widows and the those receiving palliative care.

Maramba is home to 30 women, 2 men and 293 dependents. This palliative care-providing group initially had no economic activity and were scarcely able to meet their basic food needs, but have now transitioned to be the only group in the Livingstone producing oyster mushrooms, a product highly sought after by the market. With incomes between $1 500 and $3 500 per month, members can now access medical care and provide education to their kids. For the first time, the children are taking at least 3 meals a day.

At Mapenzi, 26 adults (18 men and 8 women) are foster-parenting some 106 dependents. Because most of them are visually-impaired, members of this group initially depended on street-begging to make a living. They are now part of a sustainable marketing arrangement with the Sun International Hotel and are earning a minimum of $800 monthly through the sale of fruits and vegetables.

Similar to Mapenzi, the Linda community was part of the Local Authority’s resettlement scheme for blind beggars. This scheme however could not integrate the beggars into any form of sustainable livelihood program following their relocation away from the streets of Livingstone. Now, thanks to the program, the group grows several fruits and vegetables for sale to the market and make an income of between $2 500 and $3 500 monthly. Some members have now built their own decent accommodation to house their families.

Perhaps the most aggressive of the groups, farmers at Kubuyu used to grow maize and selected vegetables but were unable to break-even due to poor technology and lack of market. Today, the situation has changed. They have their own group vehicles to facilitate transport, and are using motorised irrigation systems to ensure year-round production. The group presently engages the market directly and are able to meet quality specifications. They are saving their excess income with the local banks for future reinvestment. This trend can be replicated, and this is the commitment of ASNAPP for regions beyond Southern Africa.