AfricaWorks

AfricaWorks teamed up with Advocates for Africa’s Children (AFAC) late 2009 to begin a poultry project in Swaziland. The objective of the partnership with AFAC is to create start-up market driven economic models in communities which will provide opportunities for income generation and improvement of household food security in a sustainable and integrated manner amongst those involved in the AFAC program. AfricaWorks will seek to build agro-production chains that eventually benefit communities especially people living with HIV/AIDs, orphans & vulnerable children and care givers. This is done through working with local churches in the communities who are also committed to addressing the challenge of these vulnerable people.

Currently, the project is being implemented in Mayoloza and Lamgabi communities just outside Mbabane city. These communities are involved in poultry production as a business.

The target beneficiaries are women who are looking after orphans in their communities.

Objectives:

Economically empower beneficiaries through establishing viable community based, scalable and market driven models in poultry production.
To improve the access of farming households to agricultural technical expertise and support with appropriate training methodology.
To increase the income of farming households through poultry production activities.
To increase farmer’s access to agriculture inputs credit.
Develop capacity of farmer associations to meet infrastructural and organizational requirements to maintain viability.
Train farmers on good agricultural practices and animal health practices.
Establishing timely, adequate and reliable market linkages.

Opportunities and Challenges.
The assessment done by AfricaWorks in Swaziland revealed a number of challenges being faced by the communities in which AFAC is working. The challenges identified included erratic production cycles that resulting in failure to access markets, low productivity resulting from lack of quality inputs, low rainfall, poor organization and lack of training which results in poor product volume.

With the expertise of AfricaWorks and AFAC combined, the following problems will be addressed to ensure sustainable economic empowerment is achieved amongst target groups.

Poor household food security for the farmers in Mayaloza, Hlobane, Nsindatje and Mgambeni.
Low income levels existing in these farming communities.
Lack of affordable poultry housing infrastructure finance for the farmers to exploit the viable opportunity in poultry production-supply value chain.
Lack of organizational and production capacity of farmer groups.
Poor market linkages between farmer groups and agro-commercial companies.
Absence of affordable agriculture input finance and extension support
Low productivity levels of farmer groups and cooperatives
Lack of local agriculture produce of acceptable quality, in desired volumes and at the required time.
Lack of social and economic security nets for the marginalized and vulnerable groups such as orphans, people living with HIV/AIDS and women.