ZEGA TRAINING TRUST

Since 1995, ZEGA has organised several training programmers for the employees of its members with the assistance of funding from the Export Development Programme of the EU.  To date, this has been ‘on-farm’ training with more than 300 employees already trained in supervision skills and 500 in pesticide management.  The training has been extremely successful and is on going.

The establishment of a dedicated training unit with a commercially run Training Farm was considered the best solution to providing full and part-time courses.Â

The establishment of the NRDC/ZEGA Training Trust in 1998 was intended to combine resources ‘to create a center of excellence for horticulture training.  This joint venture is the first of its kind in Zambia.  The central location, excellent facilities and availability of land of NRDC, coupled with availability of funds, moblised through ZEGA, creates a symbiotic relationship that will be instrumental in closing the industry’s training gap.

HORTICULTURE IN ZAMBIA

 

Zambia has been exporting fresh horticulture produce- cut flowers and vegetables – since the early 1980s.Â

The industry has expanded dramatically since the mid 1990s both in terms of quantity and value of exports and the number of exporting companies.

This expansion has created thousands of jobs including many new opportunities for women.  The increase export earning have also helped reduce the country’s reliance on copper exports to generate foreign exchange.

In 1984, a group of exporters formed the Zambia Export Growers’ Association (ZEGA).  This association continues to play a central role in the promotion and coordination of the industry.

Horticulture production is not limited to large and medium sized companies.Â

Small-scale farmers also have opportunities to grow export crops under outgrower schemes.  This not only promotes the development of entrepreneurs, but assists in domestic food security.

 

 

HISTORY OF THE HORTICULTURE TRAINING TRUST OF ZAMBIA  (HTTZ)

 Staff with a high level of competency are needed by an industry that demands high product standards.  Expansion of the industry has, therefore , results in the need for large numbers of employees at all levels to have knowledge and practical skills specific to the production and export of vegetables and flowers.

There are also excellent career opportunities for Zambian managers who have a good academic grounding coupled with a commercial attitude, attention to detail and good people management. Initially, staff employed by export companies were given basic, on-the-job training the various farm owners and managers as the existing agriculture training institutions had neither the resources nor expertise to provide specialized training in practical, ‘hands on’ horticulture.

THE HORTICULTURE TRAINING TRUST

Enabling Zambian farm staff to produce crops for export that are of a consistent high quality by :

  • Promoting the understanding and application of knowledge improving skills.
  • PreparingÂZambia staff for positions of responsibility and to aid their career progression.
  • Enhancing the reputation ofÂZambia in the world market place by:
    –  Demonstration of Due Diligence
    – ÂInvestment in Human Resources
  • Opening up opportunities to grow high value export crops to the Zambian small scale farmer.

This is done by:

  1. Developing and delivering full and part time courses in export horticulture and, through these, building capacity in the commercial and small holder export horticultural sector.
  2. Creating an endowment fund to provide financial assistance to students attending these courses.
  3. Developing and delivering on farm training, workshops and other courses in subjects pertinent to –  Staff and leadership development
    –  The promotion of worker and product safety
    –   Reducing the environmental impact of agricultural chemical
  4. Helping develop industry Codes of Practice for the above  and to audit the implementationÂ
  5. Helping update and improve the professional skills of those providing training to the industry.
  6. Establishing and operating, on a commercial basis, a Training Farm at the NRDC site.
  7. Liaison with local, regional and international organizations pursuing complimentary goals.
  8. Providing services to benefit the sector and its employees and assist in expansion and sustainability.
  9. Delivering all of the above cost effectively, to the benefit of Zambia, the region and environment.
  10. Source funding  whereby the Trust can operate on a sustainable basis.

ON FARM TRAINING

 Short courses in essential practical skills for supervisors and workers.

 

From 1996-98, ZEGA employed a consultant and training staff to design and pilot on-farm training programmes for the employees of its members and plan for the implementation of the diploma and certificate courses.  During this period, more than one hundred in the safe and effective use of pesticides.  The training courses were extremely successful and it was established that ZEGA members are willing to contribute to the cost of high quality training.

HTTZ, under its original name of the NRDC/ZEGA Training Trust, was formed in November 1998 to provide and expand this horticultural training in Zambia. It is an independence organization directed by a Board to Trustees resenting both the Government and the Private Sector.

 The central location and availability of land and infrastructure at the Natural Resources Development College (NRDC), a Government institution, coupled with the ability of ZEGA to mobilize initial funding and expertise, creating an organization that is financially independent and accountable and will be instrumental in satisfying the industry’s requirements for training.

 The Trust utilizes resources made available by the two institutions to create a centre of excellence for training in horticulture. It is believed that this joint venture in education is the first of its kind in Zambia and an example for other sectors and countries.

 This new approach enabled the Trust to attract additional support from international donors to fund its initial development stage and the human resources necessary to design and mange course delivery is a major priority for the Trust as is the need for financial sustainability.

 The Training Trust is regulated by the Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority, TEVETA, and has been awarded the status of a Grade 1 training organization.  Links are also maintained with horticulture training institutions overseas.

 

TRAINING FARMS

An essential part of the students’ training is the practical work that they carry out on the Trust’s training farm and the knowledge that they acquire in Good Agriculture Practice (GAP).

The Government allocated 50 Ha of NRDC’s land to the Training Trust as part of their commitment to the joint venture. Â

 A further area of 3 Ha was utilized for the creation of small-scale irrigation plots.  These plots are used to demonstrate methods that could be utilized by small farmers and also play a rose in the training of the diploma students.

Groups of first and final year students are given one or more plots to supervise and are responsible for all activities and record keeping for production.  For the third year students, this includes an exercise in organic vegetable production.   The easy accessibility of the Training means that the small-scale irrigation unit can be used for training small-scale vegetable growers and the extension staff who provide support services to these farmers,.

Final year students are involved in the day to day management of the Trusts’ farm and spend the first part of each morning planning, supervising and monitoring activities.

 The farm is run commercially and produce is exported either directly or through a ZEGA member.  In this way, the farm is self funding and makes a small contribution to the running costs of the Trust.  Future plans include the expansion of rose production and the inclusion of additional crops grown by the export