At 51, Dyness Simafindi, a mother of six from Masuba Village in Kanchele Ward, Kazungula District, is proving that a small garden can become much more than a source of food. With the right knowledge, skills and support, it can grow into a sustainable source of income and a pathway to a better livelihood.
Like many small-scale farmers, Dyness depends on farming to support her household. However, through her participation in the LIFT-ZAMBIA Project, her approach to gardening has taken a new direction. What was once simply an agricultural activity has gradually evolved into an enterprise that she manages with greater knowledge, purpose and a business mindset.
Through training provided by the project, Dyness acquired practical skills in climate-smart agriculture, including proper preparation and application of Bokashi, mulching and improved gardening practices. More importantly, she learnt to look at her garden beyond the crops it produces and recognise its potential as a business.
“My gardening business has been boosted by the support I received through the LIFT-ZAMBIA Project. The training has equipped me with knowledge of climate-smart gardening practices, proper preparation of Bokashi, mulching and how to manage my gardening activities as a business,” she explains.
Today, Dyness cultivates tomatoes, rape and okra, which she supplies to her local market. Her garden has become an important income-generating activity, helping her contribute to household needs and provide for her six children.
Beyond the vegetables she harvests and sells, one of Dyness's greatest gains is the knowledge she has acquired. She is now better equipped to make farming decisions, apply sustainable agricultural practices and manage her gardening activities as an enterprise.
Her journey demonstrates how investing in farmers with practical knowledge and appropriate skills can change the way they farm, create economic opportunities and strengthen household resilience.
For Dyness, the transformation is not just about growing vegetables; it is about growing a business, strengthening her family's livelihood and building greater confidence in what she can achieve through farming.
Through the LIFT-ZAMBIA Project, small-scale farmers like Dyness are discovering that agriculture is not merely about producing food; it is also a viable pathway to economic empowerment and sustainable livelihoods.