Strategic Plan

Strategic Objective One:
Develop a working relationship with stakeholders in order to make research relevant to their needs.
Activities:
i. Conduct round table meetings to understand farmer needs.
ii. Engage Farmer Associations to elicit information on research needs.
iii. Conduct desk studies on pressing issues in agricultural production and productivity.
Expected Outcome
Stakeholder tailored research activities undertaken.
Strategic Objective Two:
Develop and adapt demand driven sustainable agricultural technologies for improved food security and economic development.
Activities
i. Develop and adapt agricultural technologies on conservation agriculture including:
    a) Identification of alternative agroforestry species for soil fertility management
    b) Evaluation of Herbicide use, resistance and environmental pollution
    c) Pest and disease management in Climate Smart Agriculture
    d) Extending Climate Smart Agriculture on other crops other than maize
ii. Develop improved breeds of livestock (beef, dairy, goats and poultry) through:
   a) Evaluation of new dairy crosses for hardness and milk yield
   b) Evaluation of beef breeds, goats and poultry for hardness, meat, eggs, prolificacy and feed conversion ratios
iii. Develop appropriate pasture and forage crop technologies for livestock feed through:
   a) Evaluation of existing and new species for nutritional value, yield, resiliency.
   b) Evaluation of agronomic performance of mixed pastures (legume/grass systems).
iv. Develop the following viable orphan crops for food, nutrition and commercial applications:
   a) Indigenous vegetables (Cucurbits, Amaranth, Lumanda, Cleome, Sesamoids, Livingstone Potatoe (Plectrantius exculentus), African Poloni-Chikanda).
   b) Indigenous cereals (pearl-millet, finger-millet)
v. Develop and promote farm mechanization for improved productivity through:
   a) Evaluation of farm implements for tillage, planting, fertilizer application, weed control, pesticide application and harvesting.
   b) Evaluation of Post-harvest implements such as driers and refrigeration systems

Expected Outcomes
i. Appropriate environmentally sustainable climate smart production technologies developed and disseminated.
ii. Increased productivity of food crops, industrial crops and livestock.
iii. Crops, fish and livestock with commercial value developed.

Strategic Objective Three
Self-sustaining Contract Research Programme Developed
Activities
i. Develop standard contracts and fees for contract research
ii. Develop strategic Plan for disposal of proceeds from contract research activities
iii. Develop a marketing strategy for contract research (publicity, advertising, promotion of products/services)
iv. Develop capacity to tender for project programme implementation (e.g. evidence-based research in agribusiness, socio-economics) to support public/private institutions
v. Identify strategic partnerships to attract investment, grants and initiative-financing from cooperating partners and private sector
Expected Outcomes
i. Sustained contribution to GART operational and investment Budget
ii. GART becomes a robust and resilient agricultural research institution

Strategic Objective Four
Versatile training packages from research findings developed in partnership with stakeholders for improved production and productivity among target groups.
Activities
i. Develop training curriculum

   a) Training curriculum for smallholder farmers and field officers
   b) Training manuals in various topics of CSA of crops, fisheries and livestock

ii. Conduct training in CSA for crops and livestock production systems
   a) Hire consultants to develop training programs for the organization
  b) Hire and recruit training officers for the organization to implement training programs
 c) Provide tailor made, cost reflective training services.

Expected Outcomes
i. Increased adoption of agricultural technologies
ii. Increased agricultural productivity

Strategic Objective Five
A dynamic awareness creation program that disseminates research technologies to target groups in a user friendly manner is developed.
Activities
i. Implement Research technology awareness creation programs

    a) Conduct field days,
    b) Participate in Agritech expo
    c) Conduct seed fairs
    d) Establish commercial crop museum
    e) Maintain orphan crop museum
    f) Use media and ICT such a TV programs, Community radio programs, Internet, Print media, Social media: `WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Publications
   g) Establish provincial nodes for dissemination (strategic partners)
   h) Conduct community meetings
    i) Establish community bill-boards
    j) Hold dialogues and round table meetings
   k) Revamp and improve the existing GART web-site.

ii. Mentoring on research and good agricultural practices

     a) Foster foresight (attachments) programs for students
     b) Facilitate hands-on agriculture experiences for students and Pupils visiting GART
Expected Outcomes
i. Change of attitude towards agriculture and agricultural technologies
ii. Increased demand for agricultural technologies
iii. Increased stakeholder participation in agricultural programs

Strategic Objective Six.
Transformative investment into specific productive farm enterprises for economic sustenance of GART operations.
Activities:
i. Engage Seed Companies to produce seed (e.g. foundation seed)
ii. Expand and commercialize forage seed production
iii. Commercialize forage and fodder production
iv. Commercialize beef cattle production with increased use of Artificial Insemination Commercialize production and supply of fish, fish brood-stock and fingerlings
v. Commercialize production and supply of cattle breeding stock including for improved beef cattle, dairy cattle and their crosses with increased use of Artificial Insemination.
vi. Commercialise production and supply of Small livestock breeding Stock including exotic Goats, sheep, chickens, local goats, village chickens and their crosses as well as dairy goats with increased use of Artificial Insemination.
vii. Commercialise production and supply of Agro Forestry products including seedlings, soft timber trees and honey from bee keeping
viii. Commercialise operations of the GART game ranch by way of restocking with popular tourist game species, establishment of Chalets for camping and promotion of game tours
ix. Engage in commercial value-addition/processing of agricultural products including Horticulture, Livestock feeds, Livestock products such as meat, milk and dairy; and Animal Manure/Blended (organic) fertilizers.

Expected Outcomes

i. Sustained contribution to GART operational and investment Budget
ii. GART becomes a robust and resilient agricultural research institution
iii. Reliable source of plant and genetic resources for Zambia and beyond borders

Strategic Objective Seven
More opportunities for increased income generation from the Agricultural Technologies Dissemination programme created – Commercialization of Dissemination of Agricultural technologies
Activities
i. Develop cost-effective income-generating plan to benefit from Agritech Expos and Field Days.
ii. Develop Partnerships with NGOs, FBOs, CBOs to support validation of Agricultural Technologies.
iii. Establish a Centre of Excellence for Climate-Smart Technical Advisory Services (Crops, Livestock, Fish-farming, Agribusiness).
Expected Outcome
Established Centre for agricultural technology transfer