AICCRA accelerator grantees showcase innovations at Zambia’s biggest agriculture exhibition

Zambia accelerator program aims to reach 300,000 farmers by end of 2023

AICCRA Zambia recently attended one of the country’s leading agriculture exhibitions in Chisamba. 

With over 150 companies participating and over 7,000 people attending the event, the exhibition presented an opportunity for AICCRA to showcase the work that they are doing and interact with critical stakeholders. 

Four recipients of AICCRA accelerator grants presented their work through exhibitions to raise awareness of their projects. These include: 

• Sustainable finance for off-grid solar irrigation, 
• Integrated aquaculture-agriculture
• Climate smart seed varieties
• Diversified chicken and goat legume systems

The grantees were interviewed by Zambia’s ZANIS news and current affairs platform and appeared on primetime Zambian TV and radio. 

As well as providing a platform to help boost the visibility of the projects and stimulate interaction and learning with like-minded organizations, the exhibition provided an opening to conduct a survey on effective tools that other organizations use to create positive impacts and achieve goals. 

Among exhibitors were Lima Links, Lupiya and Vitalite, who work together towards designing cheaper financial products for off-grid solar pumps for smallholder farmers. 

Meanwhile, plant catalyst exhibited their  drought tolerant seed varieties

Government commits to support farmers

The event was officially opened by President Hakainde Hichilema who, in his address to the attendees and exhibitors, explained that government is set to establish a platform to be called Agriculture Support Programme (ASP) which will bring farmers, suppliers, and all other actors together.

“We are investing in this industry at various levels that will target both small- and large-scale farmers through education and other relevant support including a robust extension service,” he said.

AICCRA Zambia works to strengthen the country’s resilience to a hotter and drier climate by scaling deployable climate information services and climate-smart agriculture technology and practices.

Such technologies and practices – especially when they promote gender and social inclusion - improving water, food and energy security.