Food Security
and the need to monitor crop harvests for good CBNRM planning.
Some village area groups (VAG's) are more vulnerable to food shortages because of poor soils or crop loss from animals, yet are located in areas where wildlife is most abundant and are therefore key areas for generating wildlife income. The College works closely with these VAGs and monitors food security problems and possible causes. From such studies, the College initiates extension training to farmer groups in these VAGs and also provides training on appropriate ways VAG leaders can assist farmer groups.
Actual data from Yakobe VAG in Mwanya area illustrates the problem:
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Yakobe community, which consists of about 230 households, have progressively expanded their farming area over the past 35 years, as shown in the map. Yet, food yields have been insufficient to meet household needs throughout the year. As farmers cleared more land to seek fertile soils, wildlife damage to crops also increased. This was due to having gardens more exposed to wildlife risks. Eventually, farmers became frustrated and resorted to snaring to compensate themselves and bartered with farmers elsewhere for maize and sorghum. |
To solve the problem, Yakobe formed a
food security committees whose members were taught by the College to
monitor community food needs and project possible food shortages. In 1999 food relief was required
and Yakobe VAG purchased 60x90kg bags of maize with its own 
ADMADE revenues.
This food relief was enough to ensure most all households had enough food during
the farming season to concentrate on farming as opposed to securing food by
exchanging illegally obtained game meat for maize. The College estimated that
well over 200 wild animals in Yakobe area were saved in this way, thus
demonstrating the importance of developing good leadership skills to deal with
food security issues. Yakobe and a number of other VAGs in Luangwa
Valley have gone on to form farmer groups whose members are gaining new skills
through the College on ways to improve food production and diversify crops to
add additional sources of protein to their diet.
Key Lesson: To produce wildlife on game management areas inhabited by rural communities requires that local residents be good farmers. Without good agricultural planning and appropriate skills, too many households will experience food shortage and will resort to poaching to cope with their household needs.
Key Lesson: By being skilled, successful farmers communities can earn a second income from wildlife with relatively small inputs of labor. ADMADE is helping find markets for agricultural produce and by encouraging farmers to support their own household needs through good farming practices, they are less likely to resort to poaching as a source of income. As a result, wildlife markets will help these same households earn a second income through programs like ADMADE.