With the money I earn, I’m able to feed my children, buy school supplies, and plan for their future.
In Mongu District in Zambia, Tiyango Chinenge is leading both in her field and in her community. As the Chairperson of Kulikafela Farmer Field School (FFS), she embodies resilience, leadership, and the transformational power of knowledge. She is a single mother of six and before joining the FFS in 2023, she was barely harvesting enough to feed her family. With no reliable income, supporting her children’s education and basic needs was a constant challenge.
“I didn’t know how I was going to manage. I couldn’t grow enough food, let alone sell anything. Life was really hard,” she recalls.
Farmer Field School
FFS is a group-based learning method where farmers gather in their fields to experiment with different farming practices.
These include things like learning how to improve soil health. The aim is to increase the amount of crops grown by using sustainable farming practices.
Farmers gain practical experience by tackling real issues, like pest control or water management.
The Farmer Field School model is supported by our partner, Nutri Aid Trust (NAT) and Oxfam as part of the Irish Aid Ireland Civil Society Partnership project (ICSP).
While participating in FFS, Tiyango began by planting cabbage on a borrowed piece of land. Her first harvest gave her the confidence and means to rent a bigger field.
Impact of Tiyango's new skills
She is a role model, sharing her journey with other women. She encourages them to take up leadership roles in their households and communities. She notes that when women are empowered, they can fight other things like gender-based violence in communities.
She is a role model, sharing her journey with other women. She encourages them to take up leadership roles in their households and communities. She notes that when women are empowered, they can fight other things like gender-based violence in communities.
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