Company ProfileNokamu Enterprises Limited
Nokamu Enterprises Limited (hereafter referred to as ‘Nokamu’) was founded in 2006 as a printing bureau and office supplies business. The company was incorporated in 2010, diversifying into agriculture in 2016.
Based in Chipata, Nokamu operates agri-input sales outlets in 8 districts of Eastern province. These outlets sell a range of seed, feed, fertilisers and chemicals, serving around 6,000 farmers per year. The company has been working with smallholder farmers for 4 years, running a sunflower outgrower scheme, providing inputs and extension support to 250 smallholder farmers. The growth of the outgrower scheme led Nokamu to invest in a sunflower processing line for edible oils which was purchased in 2021.
With support from ENTERPRISE Zambia Challenge Fund, Nokamu Enterprises Ltd aims to:
- Expand the outgrower scheme to 1,000 smallholder farmers in order to secure a sustainable supply of quality sunflower, increasing access to certified seed in order to increase yields and quality (high oil content). This will include construction or refurbishment of 6 warehouses for bulking and storage.
- Produce poultry feed from sunflower cake to sell locally, offering inputs and technical support to 200 poultry farmers through the project. The company has not yet begun feed production; this is a new undertaking. Nokamu has readied itself with a feed formula and has secured the relevant certifications from Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS).
Marketing, impact on people and the environment;
Nokamu has a very broad customer base across the 3 units of the business which include:
- i) agro-processing and marketing;
- ii) printing and advertising; and
iii) logistics.
Within the agriculture unit the company has diversified into agricultural inputs, maize milling (chigayo), sunflower oil, and now hopes to also produce poultry feed from sunflower cake.
Nokamu is currently working with 250 smallholder farmers through its outgrower scheme. The company plans to integrate a further 750 smallholder farmers into the scheme over the course of the project. The project activities will include the existing 250 smallholder farmers, bringing the total to 1,000. In addition, Nokamu plans to provide inputs and technical support to 200 poultry farmers under the project.
Nokamu plans to increase the quality and scope of training in climate smart practices offered to smallholder farmers, introduce sunflower oil pumps in its retail outlets where customers can fill their own containers to reduce plastic consumption, and make use of the by-product of sunflower cake by using it to manufacture poultry feed.
IN BRIEF
Sector: Sunflower |
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Target Smallholders: 1,000 |
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Target Jobs: 17 full time jobs |