Project 4: National Wheat Strategy & Investment Plan | Zambia

De-risking the Wheat Value Chain Through Inclusive Aggregation and Policy Stability

The Challenge: Zambia shifted from wheat self-sufficiency to heavy import dependency, facing a structural deficit worsened by severe climatic shocks. The sector struggled with high production costs—driven by energy and logistics—that made domestic wheat significantly less competitive than regional imports.

The Vuna Solution: We developed a "Private-Sector Led, Government-Enabled" strategy aimed at achieving national self-sufficiency. Central to this was the design of the Wheat Aggregation Alliance (WAA) model, which clusters smallholders around commercial "anchor" infrastructure to provide them with mechanization, certified seed, and guaranteed offtake. We also facilitated a formal agreement framework where the government commits to predictable trade policies and intellectual property enforcement in exchange for private sector investment.

The Impact: The strategy establishes a comprehensive roadmap to transform Zambia into a net exporter. By 2032, the implementation of these inclusive models is projected to save millions in foreign exchange, create thousands of jobs across the value chain, and profitably integrate smallholder and emergent farmers into the commercial agricultural economy.