US give $3,000 to 40 farmers’ cooperatives in Lusaka and CB

By Martha Kanene

The U.S. Embassy has allocated $3,000 to empower 40 farmers’ cooperatives in Lusaka and the Copperbelt through a transformative initiative aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and market access.

The five-month project, funded through the AgriTrain Initiative Zambia, seeks to provide training, enhance productivity, and establish sustainable market linkages for cooperatives.

The initiative aims to address key challenges faced by farmers, including limited knowledge and difficulties in accessing reliable markets.

AgriTrain Director Shem Kazhimaika highlighted the program’s importance during the launch, emphasizing its role in connecting cooperatives to both local and international markets.

Speaking at the same event, Agricultural Institute of Zambia Deputy Registrar Dina Mambwe noted that the initiative would help mitigate challenges that often lead cooperatives to produce in isolation and struggle to sell their goods.