FARMER, DICKSON NYAMBI
Dickson Nyambi, a seasoned vegetable gardener from Isaac village in the Mwami area of Chipata, has long faced water challenges. Limited access to water forced him to travel long distances, relying on watering cans for irrigation. Despite these difficulties, Dickson has remained dedicated to his garden.
Through the AFAS-funded project, a borehole was drilled for him, and a solar pump was installed, but the borehole didn’t provide enough water to sustain his garden, but it is enough for household use. He later received a portable solar pump through the same project. However, the drought during the 2023-2024 season dried up his shallow wells. Yet, Dickson continues to persevere, fetching water from a nearby stream to keep his garden alive.
About Dickson Nyambi
Dickson Nyambi is a husband and father of five (and one grandchild) in Isaac village who has a passion for growing vegetables. He takes good care of his garden, making sure his cabbages, tomatoes, and onions thrive, even when his well runs dry in July. Sometimes, he has to travel far to find water, but he never gives up. Dickson wants to learn new ways to grow different vegetables and make his garden even bigger. He is looking forward to the support that the AFAS project will bring him, especially having access to water. With the possibility of access to water that he was going to receive from the AFAS project, Dickson chose a location close to his house and village. Unfortunately, the borehole that was drilled for him did not produce enough water required for the expansion that he planned to do, but the water from the borehole is enough for household consumption. Therefore, he opted to move the location for the project back to his garden located a few hundred meters from the village. There he will deepen his open well and use the mobile solar pump that he got from the project to use for his irrigation and help him ease the load of using watering cans.
Donor
Dickson Nyambi is supported by AFAS.
Jacana’s role
Jacana will provide Dickson with the following support:
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- Business and financial training
- A borehole and a solar pump
- Agro support and guidance
- Bookkeeping guidance.
Provided training
You can also download the manuals for these trainings:
Guidance and monitoring
August 2024
Due to the poor rainfall during the 2023-2024 rainy season, some farmers are facing water shortages, and Dickson is one of them. The shallow wells in his area are drying up, making it hard for him to water his garden. To save a few crops, Dickson has to fetch water from a stream about 1 kilometer away, using his ox-cart.
June 2024
Dickson was not very happy with the results of the new varieties he was trying, but he accepted them and understood where he made mistakes. He is confident that this time, when he plants again, he will manage better. The first time was a learning experience for him—he didn’t know much about the growing conditions, common diseases, or pests.
March 2024
Dickson in his garden showing his first attempt at growing butternut.
May 2023
Dickson working in his cabbage field. This is his other garden in which he was using cans to draw water from scoop holes for watering. Now he uses a mobile solar pump that he got from Jacana. Going forward, he will use this potion of land for the “From auto-pilot to champion farmer” project.
April 2023
Dickson had started to prepare his new garden near the newly drilled borehole. Unfortunately the borehole does not produce enough water for gardening expect for home use. He will continue with the project from his old garden where he will use a portable pump which bought from the project using the 40-60% arrangement.
March 2023
Dickson Nyambi received a hosepipe that he bought through the AFAS project funds.
He is very happy to have a hosepipe. Now he can spend less time and effort watering his crops and is trying to grow some new hybrid varieties of crop he has never grown before like butternuts, cauliflower, Newton tomato and green beans
Dickson made his first entry in his bookkeeping sheet (insert), where he is learning how to keep track of his finances. He still needs some guidance in understanding how to record income and expenses.
February 2023
A borehole was drilled for Dickson and a solar pump was installed for him on his piece of land close to his village that he selected as the place for his new garden.
December 2022
Dickson attended compost training with fellow farmers who are in the AFAS project. In addition to the theoretical and practical training that he received in making different types of compost manure and bio fertilizers, he also got some key ingredients to make his own batch of compost called bocashi compost. 
November 2022
In November 2022, Dickson attended a workshop on business, financial and marketing planning. The workshop helped Dickson to learn the basics of planning, finding a market/customers and the importance of financial keeping records, among other things.
