Lusaka: Zambian farmers have doubled their yields and their incomes, using climate-smart techniques learned through a partnership among the European Union, African, Caribbean and Pacific states (ACP), and the International Trade Centre (ITC).
According to African Press Organization, before 2021, many smallholder cotton farmers in Magoye and Ngwezi in Zambia faced declining yields, poor soils, and limited access to sustainable techniques. Today, thanks to an EU/ACP-funded International Trade Centre (ITC) project, they are harvesting twice as much cotton, and reinvesting that success into livestock, children’s education, and long-term resilience.
This project, grounded in climate-smart solutions like Biochar and Bokashi, has enabled farming families to not only survive but thrive. Biochar and Bokashi are natural soil enhancers used by farmers to improve soil health. Biochar boosts water retention and carbon storage, while Bokashi helps recycle organic waste into nutrient-rich compost for stronger crops. Both these climate-smart technologies are extremely economically and environmentally effective.
Livestock ownership has increased, with farmers acquiring cows, goats, and plough animals. Access to education has improved in most participating households. There is a 100% adoption of Biochar, Bokashi, and other climate-resilient techniques in pilot plots.
