GFAR blog

YAP Proposal #42: “Energised farming Project” (Nyasha Freeman Musikambesa, Zimbabwe)

Peter Casier

energised farming

Nyasha freeman is an innovative, focused and strategic entrepreneur aged 26.He is an Agricultural economist based in Zimbabwe who is involved in enhancing energy and food security in rural setups. As part of my plight to seek sustainable solutions to effects of climate change among smallholder farmers, have pitched and showcased innovative methods I have developed on my small plot in Marondera area of Zimbabwe. These platforms are – the“My Zimbabwe challenge” and the Innovation Barraza.

My idea on renewable energy access was nominated as one of the top 40 most innovative ideas of 2015.
I am an individual who strive to emancipate women and youths through increasing smallholder farm productivity and improve access to financial services and market access. I am also inspired to improve youth business opportunities along the agricultural value chain.

As a young poultry farmer utilising a small land size, I have developed a farming system I have termed as Energised farming that effectively seek to engage in food and energy production plus value addition with a thrust on making small land sizes embark on farming activities that guarantee households with energy, income and household nutrition at the same time maintaining soil fertility.

The idea utilises small livestock husbandry, vermi composting and short seasoned crops to create a bio-cycle that affords the user access to biogas, biofertilisers, animal protein and horticultural products with all the waste material being fed back into vermi composting.The system presents an opportunity for small land sizes to embark on organic feed and meat production which has potential for high returns per unit area of production.

Energised farming aims to generate income through the sale of bio fertilisers, horticultural produce and livestock products. The project supplements to environmental conservation through engaging in Apiculture production as part of efforts to utilise the presence of flowering crop species in enhancing preservation of economically viable insects. The output is then value added to produce products that further provide a reliable alternative source of income in form of products- leather shoe polish, wax candles, lip balms to mention a few.

As a young poultry farmer who is actively engaged in layers hens and Quail birds’production, embarking on energised farming will allow fellow smallholder farmers to achieve self sufficiency at the same time creating clean and reliable sources of energy for household and farm use. This presents them with the opportunity to fight off the adverse effects of climate change, through the resourceful utilisation of the natural resources at their disposal.

My vision to see smallholder farmers being actively involved in viable income generating projects motivated me to come up with the energised farming idea. My long term goal lies with creating a solid link between energy access, income creation, food and nutritional security in Sub Saharan Africa.
The project also aims to help communities conserve natural resources at the same time divert their attention from deforestation inducing cash crops such as tobacco which has led to severe depletion of indigenous forests and eutrophication in rivers.

Coupling with the already existing infrastructure plus equipment,an amount between USD$3500 and $4500 is required for energised farming to be fully functional. The amount is targeted on construction of a medium sized bio gas digester, connections and the purchase of breeding stock to maintain viable livestock levels to support the project. The amount is also to be utilised in the importation of quality earthworms, marketing, packaging and branding material.

Blogpost and picture submitted by Nyasha Freeman Musikambesa (Zimbabwe) – nyashafreeman(at)gmail.com

The content, structure and grammar is at the discretion of the author only.

This post is published as proposal #42 of “YAP” – our “Youth Agripreneur Project”.

The first selection of the winners will be based on the number of comments, likes and views each proposal gets.

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Have a look at the other “YAP” proposals too!
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“YAP” is part of the #GCARD3 process, the third Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development.

Published by Peter Casier

554 thoughts on “YAP Proposal #42: “Energised farming Project” (Nyasha Freeman Musikambesa, Zimbabwe)”

  3. I love how the project is friendly to the environment; more “clean realiable sources” of energy is what the present climate needs; well done

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    1. thank you tinashe, the natural resources at our disposal are ours to uyilise in.our day to day activities and also conserve!

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    1. yess forwad the developmental. agenda beyond urban dwellers is the biggest step in wealth creation!

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    2. Rural youths,deserves the opportunity to be incorporated into big business

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  5. Great work,youth leader. If we can have 10 000 000 well focused youth like you in Africa we will go an extra mile

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    1. Thank you moffat, green energy is the future, as 2016 is the international year of. pulses, I am on track to provide both cooking fuel and a source of nutrition

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    1. thank you, I wont dissapoint , will continue working for climate change compating efforts

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    1. Thank for your support, I will Co tinue churning out these ideas for the world to be better

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    1. thank you fortunate, will strive to make our thoughts generate better livong conditions

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  15. This is good Freeman. I like that you are doing your project on a small piece of land. Though small is relative but it encourages small holder farmers to think beyond the size of land they have. Wishing you all the best!

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    1. thank you, will keep on doing my best, we have a mandate as a generation to make a difference

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    1. very true taurai kids are the future, and my idea will provide them with a reliable source of nutrition

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  18. Great work Nyasha, first time encountering a young Zimbabwean visionary like me regarding the climate change-food security-natural resources-sustainability-innovation nexus. A reassurance that we are very much on the right track. I would be interested though, in a breakdown or rather the attachment of exact or rough figure values to the expenses upon which they are intended. Having seen many other participants attaching such in their blog, I am of the idea that it may be necessary to mention the rough figures to be spent on the bio-digestor, the connections and the breeding stock leading to the 3.5 – 4.5 range. Beyond that, way to go man!

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    2. Thank you for notifying me of such,h an important ommition,
      Biogas large digestor- $1300(construction cost)
      Breeding stock cost-$1500(incubating and hatching)
      Advertising material preparation and branding- $1000.
      Earthworm importation-$400
      Connecting material plus,labour payment -$300
      These are the basic costs breakdown for the project to progress and make it’s mark
      C

      Reply

  19. hi Nyasha,you have a very promising project,do contact me on 0773 192 734, i am an Energy Engineer i myt be able to help you on the design and sizing of the bio
    digester.

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    1. Thank you engineer, we surely will work together on this one, I am gou g to contact you so that you get the feel of the project and what’s,already on the ground.

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    2. Thank you my brother, will keep on doing the inclusive business aspects of this small enterprises!

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  24. that’s what we call the sustainable path
    to inclusive business development,pursue it with passion young man

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  27. Thats a very good project, which is also a good source of clean energy and climate friendly. Keep up the good work.

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    1. thank you sir, my believe and passion wont die without its fruits realised

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  43. good work, keep.your head low and hope for the best my son, I know your innovative mind will make maltitudes survive.

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  56. I am behind you my brother, my wish is to see this project making it to south africa! there is need to give opportunity to projects like this one to mature amd serve their purpose

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  65. Since my visit to your plot my mind still vibid of yoir creative exploits, keep up.the good work

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  72. This is the first project I have seen.in this seried with.fresh ideas and thrust, I second it to progress.

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    1. great work, we will certainly continue looking forwad to seeing this project fully making its impact on a large scale, take the exposure yu will have with this project to reach to other potential funders.

      all the best young man.

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    1. thank you so much, will keep on working hard for the fruits to be enjoyed

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  121. Good work, scale this idea of yours to the level of your other innovative solutions to climate change

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  160. wonderful .this is great work which can hardly go unnoticed.great start for these budding ambitious young ones.

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    1. thank you Lawrence, this,not only have an impact in zimbabwe,but in Zambia too.

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  165. This is one of the projects that will change the smallholder set up for good, go ahead young man

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  167. Nyasha remember that we are supporting you and should host a party after yoo win lol,,,,,, keep on going hommt uri star

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    2. New farmers are key,in I creasing agricultural production the world over.

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  174. nice project, this,will surely work well with it’s,nature in this era of climate change.

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    1. Great work liking my project, thank you, I promise matebeleland will also benefit from the project.

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  207. nyasha ,this is good, one thing that is left is for you to impliment this, yap is one step towards your goal! go go dear

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    1. thank you sporrs man, I feel honoured by your interest to see this project realise its full potential

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  224. this is the future of agricultural development in sub saharan africa.keep up the good work

    Reply

  278. this is a innovative project that will help our future generations …..l. like it

    Reply

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