The main challenge faced by farmers in the agri sector is limited and sometimes lack of access to finance or financial products that will facilitate the adoption of technologies, and effectively participate in markets. This is according to Sylvester Kalonge, Country Director, iDE Zambia, who have just come on board as a silver sponsor for the upcoming Agritech Expo Zambia, taking place in Chisamba from 11-13 April 2019.
“iDE Zambia has been working to transform lives of smallholder farmers using market-based approaches” says Mr Kalonge. He adds: “to achieve this goal, it is cardinal to develop strategic partnerships with private sector players along the various value chains. Agritech Expo Zambia provides an excellent platform to showcase our strategies, identify potential private sector partners and consolidate relationships with current partners.”
He continues: “we are currently implementing a project known as Smallholder Agricultural Reform through Enterprise Development (SHARED), whose purpose is to reduce rural poverty through the creation of sustainable income and livelihood opportunities. The project, funded by SIDA (Swedish International Development Agency), supports lifting of smallholder farmers out of poverty by shifting to more lucrative agricultural value chains and adopting technical and business practices that support enterprise growth.”
iDE* Zambia was established in 1997 to connect smallholder farmers to input and output markets as well as train them to see farming as a business. The organisation accomplishes this through its active network of 386 farm business advisors (FBAs), serving more than 90,000 clients across Northwestern, Central, Copperbelt, Lusaka, and Southern province in Zambia.
To read the full interview with Mr Kalonge, go to the event website or click here: http://www.agritech-expo.com/iDE-interview
