For more than twenty years, the Farmer Input Support Programme has been part of how many small-scale farmers in Zambia get ready for the rainy season. On 6 November 2026, the Finance Minister told Parliament that this is about to change. The government plans to transition FISP from a subsidy-based programme into an agricultural loan scheme, with implementation expected to commence in 2027.
Blog
Is Minimum Tillage Improving Crop Productivity in Zambia?
Minimum tillage means loosening the soil only where the seed goes. Farmers do this with planting basins or with ripping lines (oxen-drawn). The rest of the field is left undisturbed. It is one part of conservation farming, which also asks for crop residue cover and crop rotation. Extension services promote these practices to improve yields, conserve soil moisture and reduce land degradation. Climate planners also recognise them as potential mitigation measures under the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector. But are they delivering the expected benefits for farmers?
Will the Weakening Kwacha Affect Farmers This Season?
When news headlines talk about the kwacha weakening against the US dollar, it’s easy to think, “That’s something for economists.” But it matters to farmers too. In this article, we look at what a moving Kwacha actually means for input costs, commodity pricing, and net margins this season.
What Zambia’s Debt News Could Mean for Agricultural Growth
On 12 October 2026, President Hakainde Hichilema welcomed a Moody’s Ratings projection that Zambia will record one of the largest reductions in government debt in sub-Saharan Africa. Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane is in Bangkok for the IMF and World Bank meetings, running from 12 to 18 October. Zambia is seeking financing for roads, electricity, border facilities and the Kazungula Bridge corridor. For agriculture, the significance lies in how investment in these areas could address some of the structural constraints facing producers and agribusinesses.
Are there opportunities for farmers under the GROW ZAMBIA agenda?
Zambia’s new Grow Zambia Agenda sets out eight measurable targets for the next five years: 10 million tonnes of maize, 10,000 MW of electricity, 5 million tourists, 3 million tonnes of copper, 3 million tonnes of soyabeans, 1 million tonnes of wheat, 1 million tonnes of sugar and US$1 billion in annual beef export revenue.
4.9 Million Tonnes Today. El Niño Tomorrow: How Should Zambia Farm Maize for the 2026/27 Season?
Zambia is coming out of a remarkable 2025/26 maize season. Bumper yields delivered a record-setting 4.94 million metric tonnes of maize, well clear of our ~4.2 million metric tonne domestic requirement. But farmers are now making decisions for a very different season.
You Had a Good Harvest. So Where Is the Profit?
Every season, thousands of farmers celebrate record bag counts, only to find their bank accounts empty by the time land preparation starts again. That is because farming does not end when the crop is successfully produced. Production risk is only the first layer of agricultural management.
The Biggest Lesson from the 2026 Agricultural Show Wasn’t the Tractors
The dust has settled at the Lusaka Showgrounds following the 98th Agricultural and Commercial Show, held under the theme “Fostering Trade and Investment.” The theme wasn’t just a slogan but a reflection of the challenges and opportunities farmers are likely to face in the coming years.
The Businesses Worth Starting Before Your Village Gets a Mini-Grid
Most rural entrepreneurs wait for electricity before they plan around it. That is usually the wrong order. The gap between power arriving and demand catching up is where the early money sits.
Common Mistakes Beginner Farmers Make and How to Avoid Them
Farming attracts people for good reasons. It offers income, independence, and the chance to build something long term. It is also one of the easiest businesses to enter without a plan, and one of the hardest to succeed in without good management.