This story is one in a series from Frances Chisholm highlighting stories of lives impacted by World Poultry Foundation programs and workshops both in the U.S. and abroad. We encourage you to learn more about Ms. Chisholm and our poultry projects in South Africa.
Attendees at the Ukulinga Howard Davis Memorial Symposium 2019 gravitated to the poster of World Poultry Foundation partner Franchising Plus to learn about its financial training in agriculture. Representing the Johannesburg-based management consulting company, Mzwandile Duma walked attendees through its work in the past two years in honing the financial skills of nearly 200 small-scale emerging poultry farmers.
The training was funded by the US Department of Agriculture with additional support from NedBank and the South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF). Franchising Plus led three-day workshops on finance and farm management, followed by DAFF-led training in agri-marketing. Where possible, participants observed best practices at large poultry farms and abattoirs. Guest speakers from industry and Nedbank rounded out the workshops.
In follow up surveys, participants reported an increase in their willingness and ability to keep records related to costs incurred in running their businesses; better mortality tracking which also enabled the farmers to identify causes and prevent further mortalities; doing regular stock takes of chicks as well as feed; and better feed monitoring and recording which in most cases led to savings.
Surveys also showed that delegates often started paying themselves a salary that their businesses could afford rather than taking money as required. Many of the farmers also reported increased banking activities, which led to better financial control. 83.5% of the trainees indicated that their income from farming activities had increased since the training.
Mzwandile Duma, an agricultural training expert whose training company Panaroger (PTY) Ltd also provides mentorship services to WPF partner Future Farmers Foundation, was well suited to represent Franchising Plus at the Symposium; he had assisted as facilitator during the session that took place at the KwaZulu-Natal Poultry Institute. “I had a constant stream of attendees who wanted to learn about the company and the training sessions,” he said. “There was a real hunger to learn how to improve financial skills.”
Ms. Frances Chisholm
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