DONALD PHIRI – THE YOUNGEST FARMER

In Zambia young men of his age often sleep until the sun is high, and when they wake up they go out to have fun in the townships.  Donald wakes up at 3.00am to irrigate the family garden before he goes to school at 6.00am.  Twenty year-old Donald Phiri is a keen young farmer who is working hard to provide a better future for his family.

Donald lost his father in 2002. As the eldest child in the family, Donald realised that he had to work hard to help his mother look after the family. He took over the gardening project his father had begun to help his mother care for three younger siblings.  His father had bought two IDE treadle pumps in 2002. Although the family also own a diesel pump, its cost is prohibitively expensive.  So it is with the more environmentally friendly IDE treadle pumps that Donald has managed to provide for his family.   

IDE Zambia’s Smallholder Market Creation Project aims to create integrated smallholder market systems which help poor rural smallholder farmers move from subsistence farming to generating income.

When the IDE team visited Donald, he proudly displayed green maize, cabbages, carrots, garlic and rape all ready for the market.   He had just made K525 000 (£71) within five days from cabbages, maize and garlic.   “I take my produce to the market and I make enough money to sustain my family”, Donald said.  Other customers come to farm to buy his produce.  Profits from the farm are used to pay school fees and other basic needs.  Donald is also saving money to pay off debts that his father left behind.
 
To enhance the performance of his pumps, Donald has applied his entrepreneurial spirit and made some improvements. He has replaced the rope with more durable  chain.

Donald pedals on the treadle pump as

his young brother helps with positioning of the delivery pipe

Donald appreciates IDE’s work with treadle pumps. He says it makes irrigation a whole lot easier.  It would have been very difficult for him to irrigate the garden using a traditional bucket irrigation system.

Donald’s biggest challenge now is finding markets where he can sell his produce.  He wishes he could be linked to vegetable wholesalers who can buy in bulk and pay him higher prices..  “I want to become the biggest supplier of vegetables in Mazabuka,” Donald said. With IDE’s new market creation work linking smaller farmers like Donald with national, regional and international suppliers that dream might just become a reality.

Donald with his brothers                                                                    Donald’s garlic…ready for the market