Chianshi Irrigation Project transforming lives
By Margaret Chirwa
Tuesday, 11th November,2025
Mwaka Siakasila is a student at Chikupi Vocational Training Centre. Mwaka is being trained in General Agriculture at the institution. She knew about Chikupi Vocation training centre through her grandfather who lives near the institution. Mwaka is one of the students who was sponsored by the Chianshi Out Grower Support Project. Her grandfather advised her to enrol in the school of Agriculture. In an interview, Mwaka indicated that she normally practices the things that she has learned at Chikupi vocational training centre whenever she goes home. Mwaka says that she has her own portion of land where she grows egg plants and onions. She said her long-term plans are to have her own farm. Mwaka narrates that venturing into something profitable is good for the youths instead of involving themselves into bad vices.
Another student Robert Namoya who is also at Chikupi Vocational Training Centre and a beneficiary of the Chianshi out grower support project said he was happy to be among the sponsored youths. Robert said he learned about the sponsorship program from his siblings.
Chikupi Vocational Training Centre Acting Director, Miyanda Chibinga gave a brief background of the training centre saying the institution is managed by the Catholics. Mr. Chibinga said the institution was established to help the vulnerable. He said the institution offers courses that are trade tests (skill oriented) which include power electrical, metal fabrication, general agriculture, tailoring and brick laying.
Mr. Chibinga said Chianshi Out Grower Support Project has sponsored 40 students at their institution that are involved in various programs. He indicated that Chianshi had paid K654,300 for the students under Chikupi vocational training centre. Mr. Chibinga said the coming of Chianshi to sponsor the students is very commendable as most of its clientele are vulnerable. He said that 75% of the training offered at the institution is practical while 25% is theory. He said the performance of the students was good. The Chianshi Out Grower Support Project is supporting 40 students at Chikupi vocational training Centre while 29 students are trained under Shimabala training centre.
Chianshi Out Grower Support Project Coordinator, Shadreck Phiri said the project is co funded between Government of Zambia and African Development Bank. Mr. Phiri said the project is worth US $10 million and will address infrastructure that is climate resilient. He said the project is currently working on the road that is climate resilient connecting Chikupi, Magoba and the surrounding areas. Mr. Phiri said the total length of the road is 12.2 km. He said the road has been raised and sufficient drainage included to allow easy access to the flooded area during the rainy season. Mr. Phiri stated that the project has also designed a bridge with nine culverts in Chisungwe which was initially washed away. He said that the project is also improving sanitation and water supply targeting five schools of which one is in Chikupi and four in Magoba.He stressed that each school will be supported with a waterborne ablution block. Mr. Phiri said the project will install 14 boreholes in total. He said each school will have a borehole and will be supported with an irrigation facility. “We are going to install two hectares for each school with a mini irrigation, and this is expected to support the school feeding program” said Mr. Phiri.
Mr. Phiri said one hectare could be used for feeding while the other half could be used for production for them to sell produce and use the money for other things. He said it is hoped that the pupils will be trained on how to use the irrigation equipment and apply agronomical practices in the fields.
Mr. Phiri said the project will build an agriculture office in Magoba with a room for conducting meetings for farmers. He indicated that the project will construct two modern houses for agricultural assistants, a ware house for the community for storage purposes, two houses for the guard and the warehouse manager. Mr. Phiri said the housing units will have a borehole and all the houses will be electrified. He said the project will also complete building the Chisungwe clinic and provide a borehole for the facility. He said the project will also complete the building of an office block for department of Agriculture under District Agricultural Coordinator in Kafue.
Kafue District Agricultural Coordinator, Raphael Muyaule said Chianshi out grower support project is expected to build climate resilient infrastructure to support 600 smallholder farmers with each farmer having a minimum of a hectare each and they are expected to grow the same crop that they will agree on for easy marketing. Dr. Muyaule said the coming of the Chianshi project entails a lot of training for the farmers in the face of climate change. “Kafue district receives less rainfall, and unpredictable weather conditions, with the coming of the project, it is envisaged that the farmer will increase production,” said Dr. Muyaule.He said the multisectoral project has purchased nine motor bikes for camp extension workers under department of Agriculture, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Community Development, Ministry of Health. Dr. Muyaule said once the project is fully fledged, the farmers are expected to produce throughout the year.
The over objective of the Chianshi Out Grower Support Project is to improve people’s livelihoods, supporting small scale farmers to increase their crop yields, providing vocational training for the youths, promoting entrepreneurship, linking the farmers to the market, access to basic needs, ultimately, it’s about enhancing the quality of life for the community.
These are nine motor bikes the were purchased by Chianshi out grower support project to easy mobility for officers under department of Agriculture, Education, Community development, Water department and Ministry of health under Kafue district.
This is Kafue District Agricultural Coordinator’s office that being completed by Chianshi Out Grower Support Project.
