In Zambia, Sylvia Chisangano Horemans is making significant strides in empowering women and small-scale farmers through her seed business, Kamano Seed. With support from the World Bank-backed Zambia Agribusiness and Trade Project (ZATP), Kamano Seed has expanded its reach, now assisting 2,900 farmers, up from 800.
Sylvia's mission focuses on improving women's lives by supporting them in crop production and teaching them to prepare nutritious meals from their harvests. "I believe that apart from teaching life skills to women, teaching them about nutrition is also cardinal as this improves the health of the families and leads to increased productivity," she stated. The majority of Kamano Seed's workforce comprises women.
Kamano Seed purchases crops like maize, beans, groundnuts, and soybeans from local farmers for processing into seeds. The company also educates farmers on climate-smart agriculture to promote sustainable farming practices.
World Bank funding has allowed Kamano Seed to enhance its infrastructure, including installing one of Zambia's largest processing machines. This expansion has increased the involvement of female farmers and youth in seed production; currently, 60% of the 2,900 farmers working with Kamano Seed are young people. The project benefits also include land acquisition, building warehouses and offices, purchasing vehicles, and constructing a cold room for seed preservation.
ZATP is a government initiative implemented through the Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry (MCTI) with World Bank support. It aims to boost growth-oriented agribusiness SMEs by enhancing their technical capabilities and business management skills. Sylvia's success story illustrates how this support can lead to sustainable business growth that increases agricultural production and trade while creating jobs.
Kamano Seed has expanded its operations into the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola, earning regional recognition. Sylvia aims to continue this growth trajectory.