Company ProfileRyli Beef and Grains Limited

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Ryli Beef and Grains (RBG) Limited is a Zambian owned and its core business involves producing, fattening, processing and marketing of livestock. RBG produces livestock on its own farms and buys livestock (mostly cattle weaners but also goats, lamb and poultry) from 150 small holder farmers. RBG buys grains and legumes from 60 farmers (21 of these also supply livestock) which are processed into feed and used to fatten the cattle. The company sells a combination of live animals, whole carcasses and retail/processed beef products.

With support from ENTERPRISE Zambia Challenge Fund, Ryli Beef and Grains (RBG) aims to:

1. Expand and improve security of the meat supply chain by recruiting more livestock and grain farmers. It also involves equipping an abattoir with necessary equipment in Southern Province and purchasing refrigerated vehicles.
2. Expand the grain and legume outgrower scheme to an additional 750 farmers, providing training to these farmers. Furthermore, RBG intends to purchase from an additional 1,200 livestock farmers, providing Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training for them.
3. Establish 10 new aggregation points for livestock and grains. The buying points would serve farmers within a radius of 15-30km (farmers currently must travel up to 100km to sell their animals). Initially, RBG will use the aggregation points as demonstration plots to demonstrate GAP. Going forward, the intention is that these points become community owned feedlots.

Marketing, impact on people and the environment;

While demand for meat in Zambia is growing fast, so are competitor meat companies. Statistics were provided on projected demand for beef coupled with local production. These show an estimated shortage of local beef of over 300,000 tonnes. RBG has a history of selling to retailers such as Choppies, the Butcher Shop, Lubona and several restaurants in Lusaka.

Smallholder farmers are core to RBG’s business. Besides providing a market for these farmers, RBG supports farmers with training. The project will provide access to market and training on farming practices that improve animal and crop yields to many new farmers.

On its farm, RBG implements several environmentally positive practices. These include using manure from the feedlot on crops and crop residues to feed the animals, planting drought resistant grass used as fodder for the animals, planting an intercropped mix of sorghum and legume on paddocks and harvesting rainwater for irrigation.