NOW and RySS are pleased to host a webinar celebrating the first year piloting APCNF’s economically successful agroecology model in Zambia. In this webinar, our speakers presented the first-ever, successful implementation of APCNF outside of India, and the promising results we’ve seen already in the first growing season: higher yields, reduced costs, increased food security and improved climate resilience for smallholder farmers.
This was an outcome of the partnership among NOW Partners Foundation (NOW), Rythu Sadhikara Samstha (RySS), and national partners including the Zambian government, the Salesian Sisters’ Valponasca Learning Farm, and the Jesuit Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre.
Salesian Sister Chansa Modester, who leads the Natural Farming pilot in Luwingu, shares interest from farmers in the network of Valponasca Learning Farm, in which farmers express that after witnessing natural farming in process, they are enthusiastic to adapt to their farms.
Father Dondo Bena Benoit of Kasisi Agricultural Training Center, who leads the Natural Farming pilot in Lusaka with Father Claus Rechtenwald, shares the agricultural and economic benefits to the methods he has learned from the APCNF model.
NOW Founder and Chair, Walter Link, describes the strategy for identifying, scaling and mainstreaming economically successful, regenerative models, like APCNF, through initiatives designed for market linkage and economic sustainability.
RySS Executive Vice Chair, Vijay Kumar, presents the promising results observed during the Zambia pilot: first year maize yields 58% higher than the national average. Find additional information in the Zambia Natural Farming Pilot Annual Report here.
Pre-recorded interview with the Zambian Ministry of Agriculture’s Malilwe Penelope. Due to network issues Ms. Malilwe’s comments on the webinar were abbreviated, so we include this additional video of her comments.
Use chapters to navigate to sections by speakers.
*Please note that subtitles in Portuguese are available.
*Observe que há legendas em português disponíveis.
Robert Mbeche, World Resources Institute
Liesa Nieskens, GIZ
