Most of those who stop working after having had a job for several decades see their incomes decline drastically. In Mapepe, close to Zambia’s capital, former senior civil servants have transformed their lives by becoming dairy farmers and organising themselves in the Mapepe Dairy Co-operative. One of them is Colonel Cosmas Mazuba, who became the co-operative’s Chairman after retiring from the army.
The co-operative offers members technical support (such as training in animal production) and sells their milk collectively to the Dairy King milk company.
Moreover, several financial institutions, including the Micro Bankers Trust, offer small loans to co-op members to improve their production system. Impressively, the co-operative has a 100% loan repayment rate.
The secret to this success is that their approach is based on trust and personal connections. When Dairy King pays the co-operative for the members’ milk, the monthly loan repayment is deducted from the farmer’s share.
If a member has trouble repaying, the co-operative ensures that financial institutions receive their repayments on time. Through such methods, the co-operative has become a trustworthy partner, making it easier for co-operative members to access new loans. This mixture has helped some members triple their incomes since joining the co-operative.
The availability of financial and technical services not only contributes to improving the livelihoods of these farmers in Mapepe but, as more quality milk becomes available, also benefits the entire community.
Text: Linda Moono
