Janet: I'm the boss! Here's how I got into big business and became a landowner

Janet was supported by CAMFED to complete her secondary education. She graduated into the CAMFED Association – the network of women leaders educated with CAMFED support — and took part in a program called ‘Shaping My Future‘. Janet has used her learnings about how to start and run a business, and how to create employment for herself and others, to launch several successful enterprises.

Muka Mweemba, Program Manager at CAMFED Zambia, visited Janet at her farm in Muchinga Province to discover more about her work as an agriculture expert and entrepreneur.

8 minute read

Muka: Hi Janet, thanks for showing us around your beautiful farm, here in Mpika. What kinds of crops are you growing here?

Janet: You’re welcome, Muka. We have tomatoes, maize, pumpkin, and cabbages, depending on the season.

Muka: Why did you decide to go into agriculture in the first place?

Janet: I decided to go into agriculture because of the option for self-employment, and so that I can employ others. I’m also an entrepreneur in other areas, running a transport business and a maize grinding mill.

Muka: Amazing! First, tell me about your farm — how do you run it?

Janet: So I have four hectares. When I purchased this land in 2020, it was because I didn’t want to rent the field from others. Because I own it, I can manage and cultivate this land how I like, and plant whatever I want. I have five permanent employees— four here at the garden and one at the maize mill — and then five more part-time seasonal employees who help me weed the farm.

Muka: Impressive! How does it feel to employ other people?

Janet: Employing other people feels good! Some are CAMFED Association members. By employing them I have helped them. Some of them have built or improved their houses, and some of them support their children to go to school using the money they earned from working here.

Muka:  What’s it like being part of the CAMFED Association sisterhood?

Janet: In the CAMFED Association we learn how to help people. We go to the villages to help older people, we pool our money to buy them soap, cooking oil and other things. We go and draw water for them from the pump. Then for girls, we encourage them to go back to school if they have dropped out. Not just girls, but boys too. We encourage them all to go back to school.

Janet (right) with her employee, Chanda (left), working together in her field. (Credit: CAMFED/Catherine Wood)

Muka: I understand you trained as an Agriculture Guide through CAMFED, to gain skills in climate-smart farming and then communicate these skills to others. What have you learned?

Janet: Being an Agriculture Guide is good. Through the program, I’ve learned about how to choose the best varieties of seeds to cultivate, water conservation techniques, and more sustainable farming methods. I’ve been teaching my community about the best varieties of crops to grow at a particular time of year, and I’m spreading awareness of different climate-smart techniques. 

I also teach my fellow CAMFED Association members how to grow vegetables, because even if they don’t have a big business, then they will have a portion of vegetables to sell and help support themselves and their families. I often invite other young women to come and see my fields and see the types of vegetables I’m growing, so we can share the knowledge.  

Muka: Why is sharing knowledge so important?

Janet: It’s important that we are moving forward together at the same level, and we don’t put other women behind. For example, if I don’t know how to grow maize, I can learn from my friend how they manage their crop and make it grow well. I can ask things like, ‘what type of seeds are you using?’ Even tomatoes — we have many varieties of tomatoes so by sharing knowledge between us, we can choose which one is the best.

Muka: Could you tell me more about the different climate-smart techniques you’re using, and how your farm has benefited? 

Janet: We’re using intercropping and rotational farming. For example, if this year we put tomatoes, next we will put maize, next cabbage. This helps prevent diseases and pests, prevents the soil becoming depleted of nutrients, and helps preserve the environment. 

Since we have implemented climate-smart water preservation techniques there has been an improvement in crop yields.  We used to be dependent on furrows (shallow trenches to irrigate crops), but if we don’t have enough water in the furrows, then we can’t water the crops and it causes damage. 

Now we use pipes and drip irrigation using recycled plastic water bottles, as well as mulching which is more water efficient than furrows.

Janet grows many different crops on her farm, including pumpkin (pictured above) cabbage, tomatoes and maize. (Credit: CAMFED/Catherine Wood)

Climate change

Muka: In Zambia, we have been affected by drought, which has even been declared a National Emergency by President Hakainde Hichilema. Has your farm and community been affected by climate change and changing weather patterns?

Janet: Because of climate change, the rain patterns have changed. We used to have heavy rainfall, but at this time it’s just a long drought, and we don’t really receive that much rain. We’ve had to change our farming methods to adapt. Now we don’t want the late maturing crop varieties, it’s better to go for the medium or early maturing varieties. If a crop matures earlier, it reduces the amount of time the crop needs water, making it less vulnerable to prolonged dry spells and more likely you will have a successful harvest. 

Muka:  How does it feel to be an agriculture leader in your community?

Janet:  It feels good to share knowledge with other people, so if we see the community improving, then we’re happy. The techniques we have learned from CAMFED are helping our community. 

In addition to her agri-business, Janet runs a maize grinding service in her community. (Credit: CAMFED/Catherine Wood)

Business and entrepreneurship

Janet: I trained as a Business Guide through CAMFED in 2023, so I can teach my fellow women how to not depend on others, but through business they can work and provide for themselves.

Muka: Tell me about your other businesses.  

Janet: So I have the farm, the maize mill, a grocery shop, and I have a minibus to run a transport service. At the maize grinding service — customers come with maize, we pound it and then they get the meal to take home to eat. 

Muka: What financial support have you received?

When I first launched in 2014, I received a small grant of 350 Kwacha (around US$13 at time of writing) with which I started growing vegetables.  Then I received my first Kiva loan in 2017, which I used for seeds and fertilizer, and then a second one in 2020. 

In 2020, I received a revolving loan from CAMFED, which I used to further increase my crops of cabbages and tomatoes. I also bought the minibus and started providing transport services and then I paid back the loan in full. By 2020, my husband and I had saved enough capital to buy this farm. 

Muka: Congratulations! And so why is it important to give women access to loans and grants for their businesses?

Janet: It helps us provide for our families, for ourselves, and the future. The communities are benefiting, because if we grow tomatoes, we can help others by selling or giving them some. 

With the revolving loan, it’s a positive cycle. When I pay it back, the money will be disbursed again and can also help my fellow CAMFED Association members. 

Getting loans from outside of CAMFED is difficult because they have huge interest. So as women, maybe we can not afford to pay it back and it’s very risky.

Muka: How has running a business changed your life at home for your family?

Janet: Because of my various businesses, I’m able to pay the school fees for my three children and provide for their other needs.

Some say women cannot do business on their own. But we can do it, and we can do it even better than men. It feels good! My husband is supportive of my businesses. I’m the boss, but he is very much supportive. 

Muka: Have you supported any children outside your family? 

Janet: Yes, with my business profits I support three children outside of my family — one boy and two girls. I supported them financially, bought them books, uniforms and encouraged them to continue going to school. 

Muka:  Do you mentor any girls or young women in business? 

Janet:  Yes, I am teaching young women in the community how to get ahead in business. There are so many challenges in business, so when they face that challenge, I help them understand how we can solve it together. 

To the young women who want to set up a business, I can say: Focus on what you are doing, not looking to someone else or thinking it is only men who can do this. No, women can do business too. Even if you just have a small amount of money at first, you can start up a business. Then later you can expand and become a big business. 

Muka: What makes you happy and motivates you?

Janet: I’m happy when my needs are met, I’m able to help other people, and when I feel that I’m doing good.  I’m motivated by the courage of working hard, because I work for myself.