Zambia

iDE supports Zambia’s small-scale farmers through agricultural advice, smart water management, and mobile technology solutions to increase market access and, ultimately, farm household incomes.

Featured Project

Microloans Help Zambian Farmers Cover Their Nuts

iDE works with communities to establish catalytic savings and loans groups

Tryness Nsofwa, 57, proudly inspects her field of groundnuts. She uproots a clump of pods from the damp, red earth and is pleased with what she sees. Cracking open a husk to reveal edible fruit inside, Tryness notes the nuts are well formed and plentiful. “It’s looking very nice,” she says of her crop. “I will keep some for my family and I will sell some.”

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Mother of Seven Becomes Leader and Entrepreneur for Family and Community in Zambia

“My determination and hard work paid off after receiving support from iDE through capacity building as a Farm Business Advisor.”

Agness Ndililwa, a single mother of seven in Zambia, helped support her family by enrolling in a training program with iDE, which helped her develop business skills, connect with agricultural suppliers, and diversify her product range. Through partnerships with iDE and the 'Farm to Market Alliance,' she expanded her business, supported local farmers, and contributed to agricultural resilience in her community.

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Employee Immersion Experience Brings Deeper Understanding of the Importance of Corporate Partnership

Nine employees from The Toro Company participated in an immersive experience in Zambia for an opportunity to learn and engage with iDE programs in the field.

Corporate partners like The Toro Company play an important role in iDE’s ability to create an impact in its programs around the world. This immersion in Zambia gave nine employees a chance to see first-hand the value of their company’s partnership.

New Irrigation System Inspires A Community

iDE powers thousands of Zambian farmers with demonstration plots

A 2015 report by Hystra, a global consulting firm that works with business and social sector pioneers to design and implement inclusive business approaches that are profitable and scalable, says it is important that development organizations identify the right farmers and “over-invest” in their farms through tailored and intensive support.

Why we’re here—

Over three-quarters of Zambia’s inhabitants are poor, and the country has one of the highest incidences of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, with many households having at least one member who is chronically ill. Geographical isolation and limited infrastructure are two factors precluding farmers’ access to markets. Government strategies are focused on driving diversified market-led growth, and many essential services, such as agricultural extensions and disease eradication campaigns, are under immense pressure due to lack of resources.

Peer-to-Peer Connections

Farm Business Advisor James Kaunda (right) chats with his client, Rodger Kabeyakabwebwe (left), after a tour of Rodger’s farm. Advisors are trusted peers who regularly visit their clients to help address problems.

iDE PC Zambia WEAI FBA2 — (Photo by Chris Nicoletti/iDE)

What we do—

Resilient Market Ecosystems

For developing world entrepreneurs to succeed they must participate in market ecosystems that are economically competitive, inclusive of all people, and resilient to shocks such as conflict or severe weather events. By listening to every stakeholder—producers, suppliers, retailers and customers—we can overcome critical bottlenecks and develop lasting solutions.

Read more: Learn about our Infinite model

Learn more about iDE’s approach to resilient market ecosystems.

Healing Markets

Market facilitation in Zambia

In Zambia, the major food crop and staple grown by small-scale farmers is maize. But maize doesn’t return enough profit for farmers to earn an adequate income. Zambia was a market in need of intervention.

How We Do It —

Agriculture

iDE increases opportunities for small-scale farmers to expand food production and diversity. We recruit and train FBAs who reach rural farms in remote areas of Zambia with agricultural products, services, training, and advice. We are also piloting a solar-powered pump in combination with drip irrigation. An innovative approach to bring current market-price information to rural farms, called LimaLinks, was successfully piloted in 2015, and is now being implemented as a full-scale service with the support of Comic Relief UK.

Learn more about iDE's commitment to Agriculture.

Nutrition

Malnutrition in Zambia is caused by a combination of factors, including illnesses (diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria, and HIV/AIDS), intestinal parasites, and poor infant and young child feeding practices due to lack of resources or knowledge by caretakers.

iDE empowers farm families to grow more varied and nutritious crops, so that people have a more complete diet, fueling them with the energy and mental ability they need to be successful

Learn more about iDE’s commitment to Nutrition.