A conversation with Sylvia Banda, Zambian business woman, restaurateur and social entrepreneur about her journey started when when she was 12. She opened her first food company, and she hasn’t stopped since. She now runs a multi-million-dollar business with over 15 restaurants in Lusaka, Zambia, a food- processing company selling traditional Zambian food worldwide, and has trained over 60,000 smallholder farmers to produce higher-quality products and process them to receive better prices.
We talk about why researchers should take a back seat and let farmers and entrepreneurs lead now; why the hand tools many farmers still use belong in a museum and why mechanisation is key, but with care; why processing and preserving are essential to ending hunger; and about nutrition, traditional food versus imported food, and how she taught urban people to re-appreciate what is often considered “food for the poor” that is traditional, nutrient-dense, and tasty food. To supply all of this, she set up two factories and trained over 60,000 smallholder farmers, changing many lives.
Enjoy the story and the knowledge of a true Zambian and Southern African powerhouse.
This episode is part of The African Regenerative Frontrunners series is supported by Rootical and co-hosted by The Organic Guy.
WHAT TRIGGERED SYLVIA TO START
Sylvia’s journey into promoting traditional Zambian food was sparked by a desire to prove the capability of women and a growing realisation that the Western cuisine she served in her restaurants was not providing people with truly nutritious, culturally appropriate food.
“So, all those things, when I put them together, I said, ‘Why can’t I start giving people the real food and contribute to their lives rather than giving them this Western cuisine, which is full of spices which are not even grown in our areas'” — Sylvia Banda
THE RESEARCH SYLVIA CONDUCTED BEFORE STARTING HER COMPANY
Before launching her business, Sylvia and her husband conducted first-hand research to understand the nutritional disparities between urban and rural communities. This investigative work provided the foundational evidence for her mission to bridge the gap with traditional, nutrient-dense foods.
“We wanted, first of all, to find out what the problem is with the child growth from the urban areas and also from the rural areas. So, what we did was my husband and I conducted research where we picked a 15-year-old boy from the urban areas. […] We went to the village as well. We look at the same age. […] We proved our point to say there was something wrong, and we wanted to find out what it was that was wrong. So eventually we discovered that it was the food”—Sylvia Banda
HOW SYLVIA TRAINED MORE THAN 60,000 SMALLHOLDER FARMERS
A core part of Sylvia Banda’s work has been the large-scale training of farmers in sustainable practices and nutrition. Her company, Sylva Food Solutions, has empowered tens of thousands of farmers across multiple countries, focusing on improving both agricultural methods and dietary outcomes.
“So far, we have trained more than 60,000 smallholder farmers in all 10 provinces of Zambia. And also, we have even crossed into Mozambique and Tanzania.” — Sylvia Banda
WHY RESEARCHERS SHOULD TAKE THE BACK SEAT
Sylvia advocates for a shift where researchers, having provided their foundational work, step aside to allow farmers and entrepreneurs to lead practical implementation. Over-control stifles the innovation and adaptability needed for real-world success.
“I always say the researchers have done a lot of work; it’s time now for them to take the backseat and watch their research work and allow the farmers to take the centre stage. […] It is time that whatever they have done, they now allow the players to come and play in their own way.” — Sylvia Banda
REDUCE YOUR FRIENDS WHO DRAG YOU DOWN
Offering entrepreneurial advice, Sylvia stresses the importance of self-belief and curating one’s social circle. She warns against close friendships with people who offer only discouragement without solutions.
“Reduce the number of friends that you have; some of the friends that you may have, they’re not always good friends. All they’re looking for is to discourage you from doing this, to discourage you, but they’re not even offering the solution. So, people like that quickly move away from them.” — Sylvia Banda
OTHER POINTS DISCUSSED
Koen, Brian and Sylvia also talked about:
- what processing is needed to bring vegetables to the urban centres
- don’t ever give up and get discouraged
- give the farmers and entrepreneurs should take the centre stage
- mechanization to replace ancient tools
- media promotion of traditional food
LINKS:
- Sylva Foods – Catering and Food Solutions
- How Sylva Food Solutions is Transforming Zambia’s food system
LINKED INTERVIEWS:
- Omoke Brian – Inside Africa’s regenerative agriculture opportunity
- Million Belay – Why the USAID shutdown was a gift to agroecology in Africa
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The above references an opinion and is for information and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice.