In partnership with Agora Microfinance, Synergy Seeds, and the Sustainable Agriculture Foundation Africa, ACRE Africa kicked off a financial literacy training program aimed at empowering 85,000 smallholder farmers across Zambia by December 2025. Supported by the Swiss Capacity Building Facility (SCBF), the program was officially launched in October 2024 with a Trainer of Trainers workshop in Ndola, Copperbelt Province, and will be rolled out in all ten provinces of Zambia.
Zambia’s agricultural sector is predominantly driven by smallholder farmers, who constitute over 70% of the country’s farming population, representing approximately 1.5 million households. Despite their crucial role in national food security and rural livelihoods, only about 25% of these farmers have access to formal financial services, including loans from financial or microfinance institutions. This limited access to financial tools greatly hinders their ability to invest in resilient farming practices, access quality inputs, and mitigate risks related to climate change.
Financial literacy is, therefore, a critical component for building resilience among smallholder farmers. By equipping farmers with knowledge on budgeting, farm production planning, risk management and risk transfer through insurance, this program empowers them to make sound financial decisions that protect their livelihoods. Financial literacy not only improves farmers’ ability to access credit but also enhances their capacity to invest in risk management solutions like insurance, which is vital in a context where changing weather patterns threaten crop yields and agricultural productivity.
The financial literacy program is designed to raise awareness about the risks posed by climate change and the role of climate risk insurance in safeguarding smallholder farmers. In doing so, it aims to enable farmers to proactively manage risks and sustain agricultural production in the face of climatic shocks like excess rainfall or drought that has been rampant in Zambia.
The initiative employs a comprehensive outreach strategy targeting farmers in rural areas through community leaders and trainers, using the Trainer of Trainers model. Digital training will also be provided via an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, allowing smallholder farmers to access financial education using their phones by dialling a USSD code. This approach ensures accessibility to knowledge anytime, anywhere by farmers who may be unable to attend physical sessions.
Additionally, ACRE Africa will introduce tailored financial products, bundling essential services such as credit, seeds, fertilizers, and training on good agronomic practices to help smallholder farmers build resilience against climate shocks and enhance their agricultural productivity.
By promoting financial literacy and introducing innovative risk management tools, this initiative aims to transform smallholder farmers’ livelihoods and create lasting resilience in Zambia’s agricultural sector.