When Mr. Courage Calcao, an extension officer based at Chimoio City in Mozambique, attended the Transition Support Fund (TSF) training workshop on maize agronomy and climate-smart technologies, he had no idea it would be a turning point for one of his farmers-Jose Antonio. For years, Antonio struggled with low yields, poor soil fertility, and persistent pest infestations that made farming a difficult and often unrewarding venture.
For Calcao, the training was an eye-opener. The topics covered answered many questions in his daily quest to advise farmers on various aspects of maize agronomy and production practices—including agro-ecologies and variety selection, land preparation and effective crop establishment, fertilizer management, weed, pests and disease control, as well as maize harvesting and post-harvest management.
“We gathered key insights on farming techniques that, when applied, can transform livelihoods and increase income. What stood out for me was the importance of investing in agriculture and treating it as a business,” says Calcao.
The training focused on maize agronomy and climate-smart technologies to improve maize productivity amid frequent dry spells caused by climate change.
The participants, drawn from private seed companies and senior extension staff from South Sudan, Somalia, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, are expected to cascade the training to seed out-growers and farmer groups in their respective countries.
Determined to improve the fortunes of the farmers from his region, Calcao took it upon himself to share the knowledge he had gathered from the training with his farmers.
“When I returned home, I managed to train 50 farmers including setting up demo plots to serve as learning sites for the farmers. I shared the key learnings from the training such as land preparation and effective crop establishment, the use of climate-smart and certified seeds, and the application of fertilizers and pest control, especially the menacing Fall Armyworm. The results were incredible,” Calcao shared enthusiastically.
Antonio, 45, and a father of four was one of the farmers trained by Calcao.
Antonio embraced the practical lessons shared by Calcao. He learned about better seed selection, effective soil management, and integrated pest control techniques. One key takeaway for him was the importance of timely planting and crop rotation to maintain soil health.
The impact was immediate. In the first planting season after the training, Antonio harvested 3.5 tons of maize from his less than a hectare piece of land (6, 000 square meters), translating to 5.8 tons per hectare – a remarkable improvement from the previous 1.2 tons he harvested from one hectare. This boosted his household income and gave him peace of mind about food security for his family.
Inspired by his success, Antonio has become an ambassador of modern farming practices in his community, encouraging other farmers to adopt the techniques he learned during the training.
“My farm is proof that knowledge is power. If we apply what we learn, the land will reward us abundantly,” he said with pride.
Today, Antonio’s story stands as a testament to the transformative power of knowledge and innovation in agriculture.
The training was conducted in November 2023 by AATF in collaboration with the Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services (ARDAS) in the Directorate of Agricultural, Technical and Extension Services (AGRITEX) of Zimbabwe under the TSF supported by the African Development Bank through the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) programme.
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About AATF (www.aatf-africa.org)
Founded in 2003 to address Africa’s food security prospects through agricultural technology, AATF believes that the agricultural sector is a key foundational pillar as Africa consolidates its economic growth and carves out its new position as a major global economic powerhouse and the next growth market in the world. It was formed in response to the need for an effective mechanism that would facilitate and support negotiation for technology access and delivery and formation of appropriate partnerships to manage the development & deployment of innovative technologies for use by smallholder farmers in SSA.
For more information contact:
Mr. George Achia: Communications Officer- Eastern and Southern Africa at AATF. Email address: g.achia@aatf-africa.org, Mobile: +254785 334163.
