NAIS-Northern Province

26/07/2026

MULIMI360 TO BOOST FARMERS’ ACCESS TO INFORMATION

Farmers in Zambia are set to benefit from improved access to timely and reliable agricultural information following the rollout of the Mulimi360 e-Extension Platform by the Ministry of Agriculture in Northern Province.

Mulimi360 is a digital platform designed to provide farmers with important agricultural information, including weather and climate updates, recommended farming practices, market prices, and other advisories to help them make informed decisions and improve productivity.

Speaking during the official provincial sensitisation meeting held in Kasama, Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, John Mulongoti said the platform marks an important step towards modernizing agricultural extension service delivery in Zambia.

Mr. Mulongoti said government recognizes the need for agriculture to embrace innovation and digital technologies if the country is to achieve climate resilience, food and nutrition security, job creation and sustainable economic growth.

“As you are aware, government policy through the Comprehensive Agricultural Transformation Support Programme (CATSP) and the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) places emphasis on increasing agricultural production and productivity through the creation of an enabling environment that encourages private sector investment,” he said.

Mr. Mulongoti explained that Mulimi360 is a national digital platform that will allow farmers to access accurate and reliable agricultural information whenever they need it.

He said the increasing number of farmers and the challenges of reaching them through traditional extension methods require the use of digital solutions to complement existing services.

“The Ministry’s vision of providing timely, accurate and farmer-centered advisory services cannot be realized through conventional methods alone. We must complement face-to-face extension services with modern digital platforms that expand our reach, improve efficiency and ensure that no farmer is left behind,” he said.

The Mulimi360 E-Extension platform consists of a web portal, a mobile application and the E-Mulangizi chatbot, which provide services such as agricultural advisories, early warning and climate information, market intelligence and digital extension services.

The platform was developed with financial support from the European Union through the Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Farming Systems (SIFAZ) Project, in Zambia with technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and CIMMYT. Other partners involved in the development of the platform include the Smart Zambia Institute, the Zambia Meteorological Department and various departments within the Ministry of Agriculture.

Meanwhile, Northern Province Agricultural Coordinator Aswell Lubungo encouraged farmers, extension officers and agricultural teams at provincial and district levels to fully utilise the platform to ensure its success.

“Agricultural Extension Officers serve many farmers living in dispersed areas and there is an increasing need for accurate, specific and relevant information on weather conditions, crop management, input supply, pests and disease management and so on,” he said.

He added that electronic extension services provide an opportunity to make agricultural information more accessible to farmers and support them to improve their knowledge and productivity.

Meanwhile, some farmers who were in attendance have welcomed the introduction of Mulimi360 and say the platform has the potential to address challenges they face in accessing important farming information.

Michael Mutale, a farmer from Kasama, said farmers often struggle to access information that can help them address challenges affecting their production.

Mr. Mutale, however, called for future improvements to the platform to include local languages so that more farmers can easily understand and use the information provided.

“Not every farmer knows how to read English, so translating the platform into local languages in future will help more farmers benefit from this technology,” he said.

SIFAZ, a 7.5-year Project funded by the European Union and implemented by FAO in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and CIMMYT. The development of Mulimi360 E-Extension Platform is part of SIFAZ’s broader efforts to promote sustainable and climate-smart agriculture among smallholder farmers in Zambia.

Through support for innovative solutions such as digital extension services, the project aims to strengthen farmers’ access to knowledge, improve productivity and contribute to improved livelihoods. The platform will be launched soon.

22/07/2026

22/07/2026

Roll out of the Ulimi360 e-extension platform in Northern Province, Kasama District. The event was officiated by the Ministry of Agriculture Technical Services through the Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Farming Systems (SIFAZ) Project in Zambia, implemented in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and CIMMYT with funding from the European Union.
climate information access, market intelligence and digital agricultural extension services.

17/07/2026

Picture highlights for the Northern Province preparatory meeting for the Farmer Input Support Program (FISP) and Sustainable Agricultural Finance Facility (SAFF) Loans for the 2026-2027 farming season held at Musa Farmer Training Institute.

16/07/2026

‘MINDSET CHANGE KEY TO AGRIBUSINESS GROWTH’

The Ministry of Agriculture in Lunte District says changing the mindset of smallholder farmers is key to growing agribusiness, increasing productivity and improving rural income.

The message was emphasized during a training on agro-dealership as a business venture for members of Mulenga Mapesa Cooperative, which is under the agro-dealing enterprise pathway of the Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Farming Systems (SIFAZ) project in Zambia.

SIFAZ is a 7.5-year project funded by the European Union and implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and CIMMYT.

The project aims to promote sustainable and climate-smart agricultural production while helping smallholder farmers transition from subsistence farming to profitable agribusiness.

Speaking after the training, District Marketing and Development Officer Edward Chikwale said many farmers still view agriculture mainly as a way of producing food, when it should also be seen as a business capable of creating wealth and improving livelihoods.

Mr Chikwale said the training was aimed at helping cooperative members identify business opportunities within the agricultural sector and understand how they can become suppliers of farming inputs within their communities.

“Today, we were conducting a mindset change training for Mulenga Mapesa Cooperative, which is under the agro-dealing enterprise pathway supported by the SIFAZ project. The purpose of this training was to inculcate business initiatives among cooperative members so that they start looking at farming as a business,” he said.

Mr. Chikwale expressed hope that the training would help farmers begin to see opportunities within the agricultural value chain and take practical steps towards building profitable enterprises.

“Our emphasis has always been that smallholder farmers need to look at the bigger picture. They should look at the challenges they face and identify solutions that can also become business opportunities. In this case, farmers can look at the challenge of accessing farming inputs and explore agro-dealing as a solution. Farmers in Mulenga Mapesa are very fortunate because they can seek support through the SIFAZ project,” he said.

Mr Chikwale said agro-dealerships have the potential to improve access to quality farming inputs such as seed, fertiliser and agrochemicals while creating income-generating opportunities for local farmers.

The training covered agro-dealer business management, proper handling and storage of inputs, customer service, record keeping and the importance of supplying quality agricultural products.

Meanwhile, Mulenga Mapesa Cooperative Secretary Barbara Chongo, expressed appreciation for the training.

“This training has shown us that there are many opportunities in agriculture. We can also do business by supplying inputs to fellow farmers and earn additional income,” she said.

Ms. Chongo said the cooperative is eager to apply the knowledge gained from the training and explore opportunities under the agro-dealing pathway.

And cooperative member Victor Bwalya Chongo said the training had opened his eyes to the business side of agriculture.

“Most of us complain about the long distances we travel to buy farming inputs. Through this training, I have realised that this challenge can also be turned into a business opportunity that benefits both farmers and the community,” he said.

Mr. Chongo said having agro-dealers within the community would save farmers time and money while ensuring inputs are available when needed.

The SIFAZ project that is set to close in January 2027, has been capacity building smallholder cooperatives in Sustainable Intensification Practices that have resulted in a general increase in yield among the farmers that are practicing the promoted technologies. Under agribusiness, the project is promoting commodity aggregation and marketing, green Entrepreneurship, mechanisation Service provision and, Input acquisition and agrodealership.

The project targets 60 000 smallholder farmers in 27 districts across five provinces of Northern, Western, Southern, Eastern and Copperbelt province.

10/07/2026

SARO Agro Industrial Limited has recorded over 5 million Kwacha has in sales of agricultural Equipment between 2023 and 2026 through Government-supported financing initiatives in Northern Province.

Meanwhile, a form two pupil at Laura Girls Secondary School in Kasama District has developed an intelligent automated temperature-controlled food dehydrator aimed at addressing post-harvest losses and improving household food preservation.

Girls' Secondary School

05/07/2026

02/07/2026

Chief Munkonge of the Bemba people in Kasama District has warned that idle arable land in his chiefdom will be repossessed and reallocated to productive farmers.

Speaking during the Munkonge Block Show held in the area, Chief Munkonge said all farmers residing in his chiefdom should be proactive by engaging in agricultural activities to increase food production, enhance income generation and improve household nutrition security.

Chief Munkonge said he will repossess land from inactive individuals by giving it to interested parties to foster trade and investment in the area.

The chief noted that making productive use of land is key to attracting investment, creating employment opportunities and supporting the Government's agenda to transform the agricultural sector.

27/06/2026

KASAMA PASTURE FARMER BAGS OVER 280 THOUSAND

A livestock pasture farmer in Kasama District has raised more than K280,000 after selling about 160 bags of velvet beans harvested during the 2024/2025 farming season.

Tuesday SHULA has also produced 234 kilograms of Mun River grass seed, a high-value livestock pasture seed currently selling at K1,000 per kilogram to boost his income and demonstrate the growing potential of pasture seed production in Kasama District.

Mr Shula attributes his success to the knowledge and skills acquired through the Enhanced Smallholder Livestock Investment Programme (E-SLIP), implemented by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock in the district.

He says the training enabled him to venture into commercial pasture seed production. This enterprise is not only improving the availability of livestock feed but also creating a sustainable source of income.

22/06/2026

Northern Provincial Show 2026 memory lane