Company ProfileASBA Resources Ltd

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ASBA Resources trades cattle hides, both raw and tanned, doing all the marketing on behalf of ASBA Hides. The company works closely with Pan African Leather (PAL) which is contracted to provide tannery services on its site in Kabwe. Major customers of raw and tanned hides include regional (COMESA), and international tanneries (e.g. China, Vietnam, Bangladesh). 

ASBA Hides purchases some hides from abattoirs, paying in advance to enable the abattoirs to purchase livestock from smallholder farmers.  The company has secured exclusive relationships with over 30 abattoirs in Zambia.

Project Description

Through EZCF, ASBA Hides aims to;

• Secure quality and volume of supply by working with Solidaridad to increase the capacity of smallholder livestock farmers.  It seeks to do this by setting up rural hubs to provide a range of services such as community water reservoirs, grazing, extension activities, and training in vegetable tanning for women and youth.

• Reach 1,500 smallholder farmers in Western province and 3,500 in Eastern province in collaboration with community heads and cooperatives. The objective is to increase the quantity and improve the quality of marketed hides whilst reducing negative impacts on the environment. Solidaridad would deliver the full range of farmer-facing activities and has a solid foundation of technical know-how and experience working with smallholder livestock farmers.

• 400 women and youths trained vegetable leather turning and processing the leather into handcrafts like belts, and hand bags. Vegetable leather processing is environmentally friendly and avoids the use of harmful chemicals in leather processing.

•  Brand 20,000 animals with ear tags microchips instead of skin branding.

Impact on people and the environment;

ASBA Hides intends to recruit another 5,000 farmer suppliers, leveraging Solidaridad’s experience and connections to work through community leaders and cooperatives. The potential impact on these farmers through training, access to services and markets is significant.

The proposed project includes some activities, such as good herd management and grazing practices, with the potential to significantly reduce the negative environmental impacts of raising cattle. The project will set up 20 solar powered bole holes to allow cattle farmers access to water for their animals and the communities around the hubs. Farmers would have access to water for their cattle at rural hubs, where they would also receive training in good animal husbandry and climate-smart practices such as pasture management and forage seed production.