Maize Farming in Zambia: How We Established a Maize Crop at our New Farm

Maize is our staple cereal here in south central Africa, and is mostly grown on a small scale by smallholder farmers using traditional methods and relatively limited inputs. Yields are normally low, with most farmers producing just enough to feed their families and only selling a small surplus.
But in order to continue being able to feed our ever-growing population, more emerging farmers will have to step up and use modern machinery and best agronomic methods to achieve larger yields.
This video shares how we established a crop of maize at our new farm, Kimberley.

[@normanmusimwa2058]

Often times, agricultural KZbin channels tend to be over edited and over polished to a point they don't really show what farmers and farming is about. I am glad you have a good balance. I really appreciate your channel. Love from Zimbabwe

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks va Norman. Take care.

[@janetgarratt1251]

I like that!!!😂 we started accidentally But we’re doing Big things😂😂😂 that’s exactly how I started a couple of years ago & pushing to large acreage😂😂😂😂🙏👌 God Bless You for the video clip very informative🙏

[@mondofarms4343]

Great. All the best.

[@jasonthatcher7769]

Chisha I’m sure I’m spelling wrong but I came across your videos, they are fabulous, so informative. I really appreciate folks like you who clearly have a good heart to share knowledge. I am captivated so am now watching everything you have published.😊

[@mondofarms4343]

Hi Jason. You spelled it exactly right. Thanks for the support. Much appreciated. Yes, I am glad to be helping others with our videos, and Im committed to keep making the effort. Btw, it's just gone 01:00, and I've been editing since after supper, and I still have an hour or so left in the tank. I run a large group of companies in another sector, so I'm fairly busy during the day, and the farm and the KZbin videos are a labour of love.

[@kaufmannjoseph4377]

Very helpful content Mondo Farms - well done 👏👏

[@mondofarms4343]

Most welcome ☺️

[@chamunorwachibanguza7902]

Thank you, watching from Zimbabwe

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks for watching!

[@davewilla]

Another great insight into preparing and planting maize! This great! As an intending farmer, I am learning a lot from your broadcasts! Thanks once again!

[@mondofarms4343]

Our pleasure!

[@jkayba4614]

Thank you sir! Your updates are some of the best things on KZbin!!

[@mondofarms4343]

Glad you like them!

[@milikansofu1083]

well done bane this is a good video

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks!

[@levisilungwe5441]

Great job sir

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks.

[@janstanderart8058]

My heart is always lightened when i see a farmer so keen to do his trade. Coming to zambia soon, we should meet up.

[@mondofarms4343]

Yebbo. Pls get in touch via email on [e-mail].

[@Odongfarms]

Love your educative content,

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks

[@blacklion1579]

Excellent 👏👏👏 wish you success!

[@mondofarms4343]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@hkko7216]

Thank you very much Mr Folotiya for educating us for free. Your grasp of subject matter is superb. I'm jealous of your eloquence. Good job 🇰🇪 2 🇺🇸 👏🏿

[@mondofarms4343]

You are very welcome

[@samuche7752]

Wow this is the best farming video I've seen, everything well explained I feel like starting my own farm straight away. Thank you so much for the knowledge you sharing. Much love from Nigeria❤❤❤

[@mondofarms4343]

You're most welcome

[@franciskalemba2640]

Thank you Sir, very educative.

[@mondofarms4343]

Most welcome

[@lancyshand6999]

Nice

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks

[@bradsuarez2683]

Amaizeing!

[@mondofarms4343]

LOL 😆

[@alisonlungu]

This video was very instructive. Great work, keep it up!

[@mondofarms4343]

Much appreciated!

[@mathiaslubega4331]

Watching from Kampala. Thanks for the good work and sharing knowledge

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks for watching!

[@RobertMulenga-hi2dp]

Thanks for you

[@mondofarms4343]

Welcome

[@MendyLajour]

Thank God for you sir am leaning so much from your farm

[@mondofarms4343]

Most welcome.

[@sandechanda2170]

this is great

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks.

[@farmingzimbabwe-overlowfar5656]

This is impressive planning and as it stands failure is not an option. You are well organised!❤

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks. We continue moving forward.

[@Paulkruz1]

Congratulations on Kimberley sir

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks 😊

[@veezienhamoruhwande99]

Thanx... Beautiful❤

[@mondofarms4343]

Thank you too

[@mukobemwenya5046]

Good to see you Mr.chisha, I love your diversification

[@mondofarms4343]

Appreciated. The hustle is real

[@akapseudonym2858]

Awesome video. Its been too long....but now we know why. :) Congratulations on Kimberley. May success follow you!

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@jaaajj3235]

Amazing congratulations watching from Kenya be blessed

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks and welcome

[@kennelcross1917]

Beautiful I would like to visit your farm someday

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks. Glad it's helpful. Farming visits are a challenge for us. Our priority is to do farming tasks and programmes. When we have visitors, a lot of our attention has to go to them, which is not positive for our outcomes. And you can only imagine how many visit requests we get each week. We are working to start having formal Farmers Days like other farms do, when various people can come and see what we do in a structured manner. We will advertise on our channels when we do.

[@mpunduserah673]

Best video ever watched 💯

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks for such a compliment. Take care

[@esiesinam3559]

Greetings from Ghana

[@mondofarms4343]

Greetings 🙏🏽

[@mustafampinganjira9938]

I'm learning Alot from your teachings to improve my farming from Malawi

[@mondofarms4343]

Glad to hear that. All the best.

[@nkatyamonde9153]

Well arranged and informative video sir. being a first time farmer i am encouraged because you not only highlight the good side of farming but also the hurdles along this noble journey. Things don't always pan out to be what we plan therefore flexibility and resilience is key. thankyou sir and well done.

[@mondofarms4343]

You're most welcome 🙏🏽

[@kathychibambo6914]

A visit to Mondo farms one day is a must,, on my bucket list... Lots of support from Malawi

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks for being part of our farming journey. Honestly, we struggle to accommodate farm visits because it causes challenges to our work schedules. But please let us know if you travel to Lusaka.

[@tao6775]

This is good.

[@mondofarms4343]

Yebbo

[@BroScro]

way to go, men 👍

[@mondofarms4343]

Thank you so much 😀

[@Acon-deployed]

I'm new here brother hoping to start something I'm watching from South Africa 🇿🇦

[@mondofarms4343]

Welcome aboard. 🙏🏽

[@yekelakulalokula374]

The singing got me to subscribe. Kukura Kurerwa.

[@mondofarms4343]

Welcome aboard.

[@GodfreyChikabveka-nu8wg]

Chisha bwanji this is fubulous I like your presentation I did Agriculture training this is educative.Thank you please nourish Africa.Godfrey Chikabveka (Zimbabwe of Zambian origin)

[@mondofarms4343]

It's my pleasure

[@absaishikongo7648]

this is incredible keep up the good work sir all the best in the future please i ask the all mighty to give you all the strength to keep producing this content........let me keep quiet and subscribe🤟🤟🤟🤟🤘

[@mondofarms4343]

Thank you 😊

[@charlesbrightonchibaala6720]

All thanks to you, I started my little farm. You're a good role model sir. What maize seed variety do you recommend to be planted under drip irrigation?

[@mondofarms4343]

So nice of you. We are not yet sure which variety we will plant next month. We normally start with an agro dealer that sells a lot of variety and let one of the agrinomists there guide us. Try Omnia branches.

[@Pentagathusosaurus]

You mentioned in a more recent video that you are not tilling anymore, do you use a seed drill to prepare the fields now or they are dug by hand?

[@Hexis_Kalet19]

Thank you so muvh for this wonderful information, i thank the almighty for directing me to this channel i am currently doing my research on how best to profit from maize farming if we put into consideration, that this year we have good rainfall pattern, i will highly appreciate it if you help me during this journey how i can make it a success .....which brand fertilizer would u advice to use

[@mondofarms4343]

You are so welcome. Our strongest advice is for you to work with a qualified agronomist if you are starting out. They are employed by reputable seed companies and fertiliser manufacturers, and they advise farmers as part of their service. They will guide you all the way. There are also a lot of growing guides for all crops available online. Final advice: farming success starts with mindset and ability/willingness to put in a lot of time. Your effort has to go beyond KZbin and WhatsApp. So the time spent talking to agronomists and farmers in your country will be invaluable.

[@dicksonbanda6408]

I can see Tyson my college colleague doing a good job there👏 Tyson Hi. Great job Mondo farms keep it up👏

[@mondofarms4343]

Thanks and Greetings

[@JesusisLord78]

Nice one brother. Just wanted to ask was the fields irrigated with rain only or did you had to go irrigate aswel

[@mondofarms4343]

It's just rain fed for now, as we are deep into our rain season here (Nov to Mar). But we will have to start irrigating this particular crop of maize later as the rains slow down. The maize will have cobs by then.

[@JesusisLord78]

@@mondofarms4343 nice one. It would be great if you can make a video about how your irrigation system is set up particularly for the maize and soybeans. Always appreciate your content Brother keep it up. From Namibia 🇳🇦

[@EdificeJengo]

You have got a new subscriber Mr. Mondo :) Hey quick question for you all as I'm so inspired to start farming: if I were to plant maize and beans in one hectare, what would be the best distance between two maize holes? Or, will I be better off if I divide the land into two spaces: half for maize and half for beans? Thanks in advance!

[@mondofarms4343]

Welcome aboard! The practice you are asking about is called intercropping. We have never done it, bit a quick google search shows quite a lot of results. All the best.

[@jasonthatcher7769]

I have been meaning to ask a question and this episode you showed a map, if its something you do not want to share I understand. Looking at that map, the yellow and blue areas, roughly how many hectares is that all together. I ask because I have been wondering how to picture say 10 or 20 hectares in my head or even 100. Trying to gauge how much does one actually need to plant at the level you are at.

[@mondofarms4343]

Hi Jason, Kimberly farm is about 33 hectares in total. We planted our maize this year across about 6 hectares. I have always preferred metric measurements to imperial. The whole feet, yards and acres thing is hard for me. A hectare is 100m x 100m, and I basically use the analogy of two football fields side by side to picture a hectare. Regarding how much land we need to plant, one important factor is capacity to manage (planting, protecting, etc) and of course the yield/hectare. At our relatively basic level, the yields will still be quite low. But as we improve our skill and acquire more machinery, the yields will get better.

[@Hexis_Kalet19]

Can you advice one to purchase the hand pusher seed planter on a 4hecter quatity 1 ??

[@mondofarms4343]

We advise against buying too many such things in the beginning. Especially thongs that will only be used for one day and then end up in a storeroom until the following year Start with the basics like a sprayer, which is used throughout the growing process. The thing is to get "must-have," not "nice-to-have" tools. Farming is a long game, and success takes several years. You will know in the second or third year if it is time to start getting next level tools.

[@nomsTube]

Does the planter make lines or do we need to make ridges first?

[@mondofarms4343]

Its pretty much as shown in the video. It might help to watch the video again and focus on the key moments showing the planting. All the best.

[@leabanengbogopa8369]

So you sprayed the herbicide immediately after planting?

[@mondofarms4343]

Yes, indeed. Pls watch the video again for more details.

[@phillipchituta8582]

Am in love with this. How can I visit your farm sir, am so much interested in carrot farming. But I was more on how to use drippers

[@mwambabwembya3327]

Mr chisha how often do you meet snakes on the farm?

[@mondofarms4343]

Hi there. There are a lot of snakes around, especially since the farm is still developing. I always say that I am never no more than 60m or so from a serpent. All types and sizes, especially puff adders, cobras and muswema. We are trying to teach the guys not to always kill each one, but that is like hoping politicians will not be corrupt. It's a work in progress...

[@melrosebrowne-morgan9330]

How many bags of npk and urea do you use per hectare on your maize farms ?

[@mondofarms4343]

Fertilizing crops is a topic we haven't covered in great detail on our channel. That is basically because so many other KZbin channels feature such advice, and we don't want to be too technical. Our channel is about sharing our farming journey as we develop our farms, and inspiring others. Also, we strongly advise those with such questions to consult a good agronomist in their area, especially after doing some soil testing. The Agronomist is King and Queen in farming.

[@johnmorris1637]

Where do you get the water to fill the ponds.

[@mondofarms4343]

Sorry we didn't include much about that as we wanted to focus on the main topic of the video, which was how we build the pond liner reservoirs. The answer is that we just pump water into it from our normal sources.

[@jameskamau2496]

I wish you would break down all the expenses and tell us how much per acre and the produce expected in the acre.am Kenyan and if profitable, Zambia is not far.

[@mondofarms4343]

Hi James, we never do that on the Mondo Farms Channel. Other channels share such data, but we are primarily a business, and we choose to keep the financial details of our business proprietary. All the best

[@papyluboyamukeba3989]

Hi, how many tons of Maïzes do you haverst per hectares? Do you train people?

[@mondofarms4343]

Hi Ba Mukeba. As a company, we have chosen not to share such numbers about costs and revenues, etc on social media. Other channels do. All the best.

[@orangemoonglows2692]

what variety of corn do you plant?

[@mondofarms4343]

We plant various varieties of hybrid and traditional maize 🌽 across various fields.

[@chriswalls5831]

My new idea have africa take corn products turn to ethanol export and import

[@mondofarms4343]

Gosh. That would be an amazing idea. Sadly, it's quite far from the reality of where African food production levels are. We have a food deficit and need to produce grain to eat. Africa has the worlds fastest growing population and lowest capacity to feed itself. Turning maize into ethanol is a luxury we can't even dream of. A real example of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs.

[@africadreamin]

I thoroughly enjoy your videos, but watching your land preparation brings up the subject of conservation of ground cover in order to conserve and promote the build-up of humus in the soil, your disc harrow or the ever-popular use of the disc plough across Africa creates a dependency on inorganic fertilizers which ultimately means that the soil contributes very little to the plant growth and the farmer is hostage to the fertilizer companies.

[@mondofarms4343]

Indeed, we are very much aware of it. The farms are still getting started, and we have already on a steep learning curve. So we started with basic and conventional methods. My strategy is keep things as simple as possible. Hopefully, in a few years' time, we will be making some returns and will find ourselves further up Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Are we losing out on soil conservation in the meantime? Yes, but this is the real world, and we already have enough moving parts to deal with.

[@bongecabd]

I think we should be naming after freedom fighters instead of foreign countries unless it's sales project

[@mondofarms4343]

Great idea. I agree that everyone should use names for their businesses and farms in ways that have meaning to them. After all, the owner gets to choose, right? I think it would be cheeky for me to tell someone else how to name things in their businesses. I promise never to do that.

[@zachlightphiri4533]

Polite way of telling someone not to poke their nose in someone's business😂😂😂😂

[@nkosidywili8734]

You killed a snake in its natural habitat , why didn't you relocate it 😏

[@mondofarms4343]

Of course we would try that in an ideal world. If you watch the video again and consider the context, you can see that the snake was severed by the TLB bucket while it was in a hole in the anthill being leveled. Sadly, such is the reality of land clearing using mechanized equipment. All the best