The government and Norway signed a Mitigation Outcome Purchase Agreement (MOPA). There is currently a funded window open until May 31, 2026, for project proposals.
While the immediate focus of the May 31st deadline is renewable energy, the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment has positioned this as the ‘anchor’ for a broader rollout. According to Zambia’s Carbon Market Framework and the National Green Growth Strategy (2024-2030), the Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use sector is a primary target for future Article 6 mitigation activities. That is exactly why this moment matters. The systems are being tested now. Measurement, verification, and carbon payments will define how future agricultural participation is structured. Farmers who wait for a direct call may miss the real opportunity. Prepare early to be part of the next rollout, where agricultural emissions reductions are expected to be included..
What the agreement is really about
Under this agreement, Norway has committed to purchasing up to 3.5 million tonnes of verified emission reductions from Zambia. This agreement creates a direct pipeline for international climate finance to flow into the country, providing performance-based payments for projects that can prove they are reducing greenhouse gases. The Purchase agreement is tied to outcomes:
- No verified emissions reduction → no payment
- No structured project → no access
Why agriculture is part of the equation
Historically, carbon finance in Zambia has focused on energy, particularly grid-scale renewable projects. Agriculture was excluded largely because emissions are harder to measure and verify at farm level.That barrier is now being addressed through:
- standardized methodologies
- satellite-assisted monitoring
- aggregation models
This means farming practices can now be quantified in terms of carbon sequestration (soil carbon) and emissions reduction (fertilizer efficiency, livestock practices). Once quantified and verified, these become tradable mitigation outcomes.
What practices qualify
Not all farming activities generate measurable carbon value. The focus is on practices that either store carbon or reduce emissions in a verifiable way.The most relevant include:
- Conservation agriculture (minimum tillage, residue retention)
- Cover cropping and crop rotation
- Reduced or optimized fertilizer application
- Agroforestry systems
- Improved livestock feeding and manure management
The key requirement is not the practice itself, but whether its impact can be measured and verified.
You might also like: What Maize Market Reform Means For Farmers Under CATSP
What you should be doing in preparation
- Watch the Energy Phase: The successful funding and payment of these initial solar projects will serve as the ultimate proof that the Norway-Zambia agreement is a functional, “bankable” reality. Once this financial pipeline is proven, it paves the way for carbon to be treated as a standard crop or commodity.
- Get Documented: The next phase will likely mirror the current rigorous standards. Proactive farmers should ensure their “compliance house” is in order. This includes securing clear land titles, keeping updated ZEMA environmental records, and maintaining accurate production data.
- Positioning: Early movers will have the advantage. By beginning to measure your farm’s current “carbon potential” now. It can be through soil health tracking or forest conservation metrics. Preparation will put you at the front of the line when the agriculture-specific window officially opens.
What will separate winners from noise
If you are an agribusiness lead or part of a large farming cooperative, this is the time to audit your energy and land use. Most proposals will fail for predictable reasons:
- weak data systems
- unclear measurement methodologies
- lack of farmer organization
- unrealistic assumptions about carbon yields
The projects that succeed will be those that:
- integrate agronomy with data collection
- operate at scale (hundreds to thousands of farmers)
- align carbon outcomes with productivity gains
- treat carbon revenue as a secondary layer, not the core business model
Farmers will not get paid simply for farming differently. They will get paid only if their practices are structured, measured, verified, and aggregated into a credible carbon project. The opportunity is real, but it is not simple. It favors those who can connect agriculture, data, and carbon finance into one coherent system.
Submission Portal
Proposals are submitted to the CFIP Steering Committee at the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment. https://www.mgee.gov.zm
References
https://www.mgee.gov.zm/?page_id=2781
https://www.regjeringen.no/en/whats-new/norge-og-zambia-skal-samarbeide-om-a-kutte-utslipp/id3147489/