Mr Joe Daka is a successful grower of soybeans, seed and commercial maize in Zambia. These crops have been the backbone of his operation for many years, but in 2021 he diversified into vegetables and has been moving forward ever since. His farm, Damust, is located 30 km East of Mkushi in the Central Province.
In the first year, he established a 20Ha block of onions, primarily the hybrid Irati. Irati is widely used by commercial growers in Zambia and was a logical choice. Results were impressive for a first-time grower; a yield of over 45t/Ha was realised compared to the national average for onions of around 15t/ha. The use of hybrid seed and improved technologies is driving onion production forward and Zambia is becoming less reliant on imported produce.
Following this initial success, Mr Daka increased his onion planting to 40 Ha in 2022. Again, Irati was the preferred choice, and this time, it delivered an average yield of over 55t/Ha. This huge increase in volume of bulbs meant investment in extra infrastructure to handle and store the harvest had to be made.
In 2023, his area remained at 40 Ha, and indications are that 70t/Ha may be achieved this season. It is not only the yields that pleased Mr Daka but also the quality. Irati typically produces bulbs with dark colour, excellent firmness, scale leaf retention and storage capability.
Irati has shown itself to be adaptable to a range of conditions in Zambia and has good bolting tolerance. This means it can be planted with confidence in different areas, times and conditions. Your local representative should be consulted for advice on prime sowing slots for your specific area and conditions. Adaptability of any onion variety is important in view of climate change, with higher temperatures and more variable rainfall predicted for the future.
Local production of onions is not only important in reducing reliance on imports, but an export market to DRC is developing. Mkushi is well-positioned to take advantage of this. The storage and transport capacity of Irati bulbs has been a contributing factor to the development of this market.
Mr Daka plans to continue growing Irati as he believes it to be the best hybrid for the area.. He also says he wants to share his success story with other farmers and encourage them to try hybrid onion farming. He says the quality seeds and technical support supplied by Starke Ayres are vital components of his success so far. He hopes that his onion farming will inspire more young people to venture into agriculture and contribute to the food security and economic development of Zambia.
