Agriculture remains the primary source of income for most rural residents in Zambia and will continue to be the backbone of the national economy for many years to come. However, limited access to agricultural financing is a major constraint to the development of the Smallholder Farmers (SHFs) of the agriculture sector.

Therefore, this book documents the research aimed to address three fundamental objectives: the extent of financial inclusivity, the factors influencing access to finance, and the exploration of alternative financing models. The findings revealed that only 19% of SHFs surveyed reported having accessed credit and only 8% of rural SHFs were utilizing formal banking services.

In response to these challenges, the research proposed innovative financing models including mobile money lending, peer-to-peer lending, guarantee schemes, collateral substitutes and group lending. The study recommended that relevant stakeholders should strengthen technological infrastructure, develop and implement tailored financial education programs and encourage diversification of agriculture activities, and develop regulatory framework for mobile money lending to ensure fair competitions.

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