Small scale farming is the main source of income and employment for most Zambians in both the formal and informal sectors, accounting for 80% of the total employment in the informal sector. The informal sector (particularly agriculture) has a proportionately higher number of women than men working in it. The high share of both formal and informal employment in agriculture presents the poverty reduction potential for this sector.
Women in Zambia contribute over 70% of the labour in the agricultural markets through both the formal and informal labor market. This study sort to identify current and possible points of entry for women to participate profitably in agriculture at all levels of the value chains.
This report was generated to serve as a reference document for Musika and its implementing partners. Musika Development Initiatives (Musika) is a non-profit company that works to stimulate private sector investments in rural and agricultural markets. It achieves this by helping businesses to develop mutually beneficial and transparent commercial relationships with smallholders that integrate the provision of information and technology adoption, and provide confidence and long term incentives for smallholders to invest in their farming business. It provides its corporate clients with high quality, commercially focused technical advice, business model support and where relevant, smart subsidies to bring down some of the initial risks in doing business with the smallholder market. Musika also supports innovative market-based solutions to environmental issues and strives to ensure women are key participants in improved agricultural markets. Musika acknowledges and appreciates the financial support on this study from SIDA and Irish Aid.