Farmers in Kalumbila District stand to benefit from a new funding opportunity under the Zambia Agribusiness and Trade Project Phase II (ZATP II), which offers matching grants of up to US$50,000 to eligible producer organisations Nationwide.
The initiative, coordinated by the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry (MCTI) and supported by the World Bank, is aimed at increasing access to finance and markets while promoting growth in Zambia’s agribusiness sector.
Speaking during a courtesy call by the project team on Chief Mumena, Zambia Agribusiness and Trade Project Phase II (ZATP II) Regional Facilitator Emmy Nyirenda said the programme, operating with a US$170 million budget will help farmers expand their operations and enhance value addition.
Ms Nyirenda noted that limited access to financing remained one of the biggest obstacles preventing farmers from commercialising their operations.
She observed that many viable agribusiness ideas failed to take off due to lack of capital, while inadequate access to reliable markets discouraged increased production.
“The coming of ZATP II presents an opportunity for cooperatives and small-scale agri-businesses to overcome these barriers through structured financial support and improved market linkages,” she said.
She expressed hope that the programme would stimulate infrastructure development, value addition, and job creation in Kalumbila.
“Under the programme, farmers organised in cooperatives and farmer organisations as well as Small and Medium Enterprises engaged in value addition were eligible to apply. Government will finance 60 percent of the total project cost, while beneficiaries contribute 40 percent, half in cash and half in assets,” she said.
She said the initiative supports a wide range of crops, excluding tobacco, and forest-based products such as honey, mushrooms, and wild fruits, excluding timber.
She pointed out that customary land was acceptable, provided proper documentation is obtained from traditional authorities, and the land must be registered in the name of the cooperative rather than an individual.
Ms Nyirenda said the call for proposals opened on January 20, 2026, and will close on 31 March 2026 adding that applicants must have been operational for at least two years and possess a bank account, TPIN and land.
“ZATP II was initially launched in 2017 as a US$40 million pilot in five Provinces namely Copperbelt, Central, Lusaka, Southern and Eastern and has since expanded Nationwide following the success of the first phase,” she said.
The current phase is expected to stimulate rural economic growth by strengthening market linkages, promoting value addition and supporting infrastructure development in farming communities.
Meanwhile, Chief Mumena highlighted lack of funding and reliable markets as key challenges affecting agribusiness in the district and expressed optimism that the project will stimulate local economic growth.
