Agriculture is a key sector for employment and critical to local and regional food security in Zambia.
Corteva Agriscience, John Deere, Global Communities, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced today the Zambia Emerging Farmers Partnership, a project designed to help increase the productivity, incomes and sustainable farming practices of 10,000 emerging farmers with 20-60 hectares of land. This project will enrich the lives of farmers and their communities and will contribute to building a resilient global food system.
Agriculture in Zambia is a key sector for employment and is critical to local and regional food security. Maize is the primary source of calories for many rural people and a significant contributor to Zambia's economic and social development. However, farmers face many challenges, from climate variabilities to fall armyworm. In addition, traditional practices for preparing the land, weeding and harvesting require significant manual labor, much of which is endured by women.
Farmers who will benefit from this project - 30 percent of whom are women - will be empowered with educational resources, technologies, and access to capital. Corteva Agriscience agronomists will work directly with farmers to enhance adoption of hybrid seed and crop protection products, and advance sustainable farming practices. John Deere will establish equipment service provision models to increase farmer access to mechanization for optimal production and harvesting. USAID and Global Communities will provide training to farmers on production techniques, post-harvest handling, and transport; increase access to credit and finance; and link farmers to markets.
The three-year project will leverage more than $37 million in loans for inputs and equipment, resulting in more than 50,000 hectares of crops planted using climate-adaptive seeds and other sustainable technologies.
"In Zambia, emergent farmers - especially women - often struggle to access the necessary technologies, capital and training to be successful," said Subbarao Kolli, President of Africa and Middle East at Corteva Agriscience. "Agriculture is the main source of income and employment for people in rural areas of Zambia. As a leader in agricultural innovation, we are committed to growing agriculture in Zambia, working with stakeholders and farmers on the ground. We are committed to helping the government and people of Zambia meet the nation's food security target of five million metric tonnes."
In June, Corteva announced its 2030 sustainability goals, spanning a wide range of initiatives for farmers, the land, communities, and its operations. The company pledged to help increase the productivity, incomes and sustainable farming practices of smallholder farmers as well as to empower women in their communities.
"Corteva Agriscience and key collaborators share a commitment to using new innovative approaches to help farmers in Zambia and the agriculture value chains be more productive and sustainable," said Henri Moore, Global Responsibility Leader at Corteva Agriscience. "Supporting the needs of farmers - large and small - is central to our purpose at Corteva. Through this collaboration, we will make a significant impact on the lives of these Zambian farmers, their families and their communities."
"Global Communities is proud to be part of this extraordinary partnership," said David A. Weiss, CEO of Global Communities. "Global Communities works to advance innovative agricultural interventions side-by-side with rural families, particularly women farmers who are at the vanguard of their communities. We connect people with resources, training and access to capital so they can build healthy, secure, stable lives - even in the face of climate change's increasing impact on food security." For more information on Corteva's efforts to enrich the lives of smallholder farmers and its 2030 sustainability goals, visit
