Community Markets for Conservation

Community Markets for Conservation Community Markets for Conservation, COMACO a conservation organization based in Zambia that incentivizes conservation by promoting agriculture.

Learn more about our model here: www.itswild.org/about-us/ COMACO targets poor, food insecure families - the people who are most likely to poach wildlife or burn forests for charcoal. COMACO member farmers are then organized into producer groups to promote a traditionally Zambian group committment to better agricultural practices. Regional trade centers provide reliable transfer of commodities to

high paying urban markets, and act as training centers for ongoing learning. Finally, a formalized agreement with producer groups to adhere to sustainable land use practices qualifies the farmer for conservation dividends that reward the farmer for taking a chance on this new approach. The skills they learn are liberating, giving them the knowledge to make organic fertilizer, diversify food crops, establish their own seed bank, and maintain a balance between farmland, forests and other natural resources. To support the full adoption of these skills, COMACO buys any surplus crops grown from member farmers at fair market prices and resells them as processed, value-added products branded under the name IT'S WILD!. Critical to achieving food security, COMACO buys ONLY surpluses of those crops that are consumed as food and by increasing their market value, farmers commit more time to learn how to be more productive and thus more food secure. Once a family has harvested and stored their crops, farmers are then able to determine how much surplus they have to sell to COMACO. Having enough to eat, plus cash raised from improved harvests, reduces the need to go into the forest to hunt for meat and make charcoal for cash, preserving the ecosystem for tomorrow!

In Lumika Cooperative, located in Chief Kabamba’s chiefdom in Serenje District, COMACO is helping farmers access the kno...
08/05/2026

In Lumika Cooperative, located in Chief Kabamba’s chiefdom in Serenje District, COMACO is helping farmers access the knowledge they need to improve their livelihoods by empowering them with two key tools, the Better Life Book and Solar Radios. These resources offer guidance on the farming calendar and conservation farming practices that improve soil fertility, protect the environment and increase productivity.

One farmer bringing this knowledge to life is 51-year-old Rodgers Bangwa, a dedicated Producer Group Trainer. Rodgers gathers members of his producer group under the shade of trees to listen together to Farm Talk, a radio program based on COMACO’s Better Life Book. The program covers essential conservation practices, such as Gliricidia transplanting and compost making, which help improve soil fertility and support sustainable farming.

“We do not just listen and go home,” Rodgers explains. “After the program, we discuss what we have learned so that everyone understands how to apply the practices in their fields.”

In the fields where groundnuts and soybeans grow, farmers are doing more than planting crops, they are restoring the soi...
23/04/2026

In the fields where groundnuts and soybeans grow, farmers are doing more than planting crops, they are restoring the soil beneath their feet.

For 67-year-old Simon Zimba of Kapatamoyo Chiefdom in Chipata District, soil improvement skills that he has gained from COMACO have transformed his life. “What is working for me as a farmer should work for everyone because knowledge is power,” Zimba says.

Since joining COMACO in 2020, he and his wife, Iwase Tembo, have improved soil fertility on their farm, increased harvests, and use their farm as a demonstration site where other farmers come to learn. Every season, their harvests support school fees, food, and household needs by avoiding costly farming input costs with the skills she’s learned that COMACO has taught that now give her higher yields and better markets that COMACO provides.

“I teach conservation everywhere I go: funerals, church meetings, and community gatherings,” Iwase says. “It is my purpose to help every household in my village learn the same skills that keep me food secure, and with the right farming practices, we can stay out of poverty and keep our forests.”

Across COMACO’s farmer network, restored soils are producing the legumes that go into It’s Wild! peanut butter, Yummy Soy, and Jumbo Combo porridge. Every jar and every packet reflects the care of farmers who are rebuilding their soils, protecting their forests, and strengthening their communities, showing that conservation and livelihoods go hand in hand.

This Earth Day, we celebrate the small-scale farmers across COMACO's operational regions in Eastern, Central, Southern, ...
22/04/2026

This Earth Day, we celebrate the small-scale farmers across COMACO's operational regions in Eastern, Central, Southern, and Muchinga Provinces who are caring for and restoring the land they depend on. By planting Gliricidia sepium, farmers are improving soil fertility naturally, adding nutrients back into the soil and increasing yields without relying on chemical fertilisers. These trees make it possible for farmers to continue using the same fields season after season, rather than clearing new land.

That means healthier soils, stronger harvests, and fewer forests being cut down.

This work reflects this year’s theme, Our Power, Our Planet, a reminder that real impact starts with communities. Through simple, consistent practices, farmers are protecting their land, their livelihoods, and the environment for future generations.

In Mumbwa, 30 former illegal hunters have just graduated from COMACO’s Transformation Training Center, a group with a di...
21/04/2026

In Mumbwa, 30 former illegal hunters have just graduated from COMACO’s Transformation Training Center, a group with a difficult and deeply rooted past.

Five of them had previously been arrested for illegal hunting. Among the intake of hunters, the average number of animals killed was more than 150 per person. Some killed far more, like Mr. Enock Chiyaba. Over his 30 years of poaching, he killed more than 600 animals, including seven elephants. Despite this long history in the bush, Enock was never arrested. His story reflects the reality these men come from.

For six weeks at the training centre, they underwent intensive training that included improved farming skills and irrigation practices, livestock management, beekeeping, carpentry and metal works, as well as small business skills. Lectures by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife explained the laws protecting wildlife and the consequences of prison life if arrested for poaching.

But the most powerful moment didn’t happen in a classroom. It happened when they handed in their guns. One by one, each man surrendered his firearm that had defined his livelihood for years and received inputs to help start a new life built on the skills they had learned.

This transformation program, and the opportunity it provides, would not have been possible without the generous support of The Nature Conservancy, whose partnership continues to make pathways like this a reality for communities living alongside wildlife.

Now, they return to their communities not as poachers, but as responsible, law-abiding citizens, ready to support their families through more secure and sustainable livelihoods. The transition is not easy, but it is happening.

Across the wider landscape, a growing number of illegal hunters are following the same path, many first hearing about the program through COMACO’s Farm Talk radio program. Slowly, the choice is shifting, from illegal hunting to wildlife protection. Another way forward now exists.

A cooperative is a group of people who work together to meet shared needs they couldn’t achieve individually. For COMACO...
20/04/2026

A cooperative is a group of people who work together to meet shared needs they couldn’t achieve individually. For COMACO small-scale farmers at Nkula One Cooperative in Chinsali District, this means sharing knowledge, tools, and resources to grow crops more effectively using sustainable, environmentally friendly methods, selling them to COMACO at fair market prices, and supporting one another.

Through their partnership with COMACO, farmers have access to training in conservation farming, as well as a reliable market for their produce at fair prices. But just as important is what happens within the cooperative itself.

Members regularly meet to discuss lessons from COMACO trainings and find ways to apply them in their own fields. They turn theory into practice through demonstrations and by supporting one another with hands-on, peer-to-peer guidance.

Take Senior Lead Farmer Honest Chilufya from Nkula One, for example, who teaches fellow members chemical-free techniques, soil protection, and timely crop care. “Working together helps us protect our soil, improve our yields, and save money,” Chilufya explains. “We share knowledge and lift each other.”

A small cooperative in Eastern Province is working toward becoming a major supplier of groundnut seed to other cooperati...
16/04/2026

A small cooperative in Eastern Province is working toward becoming a major supplier of groundnut seed to other cooperatives and organisations across the province, with leadership from Elinat Daka.

Meet Elinat, chairperson of Kuchweni COMACO Cooperative in Chipangali District. Together with fellow members, she is helping grow a business that supports small-scale farmers to earn a more stable income. The cooperative is working toward building a seed bank of more than 150 metric tons of seed.

“We want other cooperatives and organisations to come to us for certified groundnut seed,” she says.

The cooperative currently has 20 seed growers, with plans to grow to 50 next season and up to 200 within the next three years.

With support from COMACO, these farmers are improving soil fertility and increasing yields using sustainable methods such as compost manure and Gliricidia sepium.

COMACO also provides a ready market, meaning farmers already know where they will sell their seed. This allows them to plan better, invest with confidence, and grow their production.

Some of the most renowned poachers, responsible for killing hundreds of animals over decades, have now surrendered their...
15/04/2026

Some of the most renowned poachers, responsible for killing hundreds of animals over decades, have now surrendered their guns and graduated from COMACO’s Transformation Training Center.

Their shift from illegal hunting to sustainable livelihoods is just one of several powerful stories in our latest newsletter.

Read more here: https://mailchi.mp/itswild/april2026

14/04/2026

Honest Chilufye shares how he and fellow COMACO small-scale farmers in his community tackle w**d control in their fields.

COMACO joined government, traditional leaders, and development partners at Ephendukeni Palace on Saturday, 4th April, fo...
08/04/2026

COMACO joined government, traditional leaders, and development partners at Ephendukeni Palace on Saturday, 4th April, for the launch of a Climate Change Mitigation Programme, led by His Royal Highness, Paramount Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people.

The initiative brings a shared commitment to protecting natural resources and building resilient communities, aligning with COMACO’s work in conservation farming, agroforestry, and the protection of forests, wildlife, and soils.

Paramount Chief Mpezeni called for urgent action against uncontrolled and careless cutting of trees, warning that short-term gains from charcoal production must not come at the cost of future livelihoods. He also recognised COMACO’s role in promoting sustainable practices across communities.

Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Paul Thole reaffirmed government support, highlighting the programme’s alignment with Zambia’s green economy agenda and its importance in strengthening the province’s response to climate change.

Speaking on behalf of COMACO, Conservation Manager Nemiah Tembo encouraged farmers to adopt agroforestry, particularly planting Gliricidia trees, to improve soil fertility and increase yields without chemical fertilisers. He also highlighted opportunities for farmers to access premium markets and benefit from emerging carbon credit initiatives.

“Conservation pays. When farmers adopt these practices, they protect the environment while securing better livelihoods. At COMACO, we support this by providing reliable markets and premium prices for sustainably grown produce.”

COMACO women staff took creativity to the next level by painting an elephant, a symbol that inspired COMACO’s mission t...
25/03/2026


COMACO women staff took creativity to the next level by painting an elephant, a symbol that inspired COMACO’s mission to protect wildlife and support communities. Today, that same elephant appears on the It’s Wild! logo and our range of food products, reminding everyone that each purchase supports conservation and local livelihoods.

24/03/2026

Meet Mike, one of our staff members here at COMACO.

He explains how COMACO supports farmers with training and market access to help them grow their crops sustainably. Those same crops are then turned into It’s Wild! food products such as Chama Rice, Yummy Soy, and Soya Pieces.

Address

Plot 7223 Kachidza Road
Lusaka
10101

Opening Hours

Monday 07:30 - 16:30
Tuesday 07:30 - 16:30
Wednesday 07:30 - 16:30
Thursday 07:30 - 16:30
Friday 07:30 - 16:30
Saturday 08:00 - 13:00

Telephone

+260971583282

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Community Markets for Conservation posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Community Markets for Conservation:

Shortcuts

Share

Category