From 8 to 30 bales: How climate-smart cotton farming is transforming lives in rural Zambia
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.
Project snapshot (2021–2025)
130,000+ farmers trained across three regions
Yields increased from between six and 14 to up to 30 bales per season
Livestock ownership up: cows, goats, plough animals acquired
Education access improved in most participating households
100% adoption of Biochar, Bokashi and other climate-resilient techniques in pilot plots.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Trade Centre.
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