Zambia might not be the first country that comes to mind for agritech innovation. However, this landlocked nation in Southern Africa, and home to nearly 20 million people, holds immense agricultural promise.
More than half of Zambia’s land is arable, and agriculture supports around two-thirds of the workforce. Still, like other African nations, the sector faces persistent challenges like low productivity, limited access to quality inputs, and increasing climate pressure.
Even more, the country is quietly emerging as a contender in Africa’s agritech space. True to this, it ranks sixth on the continent for agrifoodtech investment over the past decade, according to AFN’s 2024 Report.
Building on this momentum, which businesses are driving the shift in Zambia?
Featured Companies (Top 5 to Watch)
Featured here are five companies making notable contributions to Zambia’s agritech sector. These businesses are tackling crucial agricultural challenges while contributing to the ongoing development of the industry:
1. AgriPredict – Front-runner in Climate-Smart ToolsÂ
AgriPredict is one of Zambia’s first platforms built to help farmers reduce risks in real time. The mobile-based app detects crop diseases and pests such as fall armyworm and tomato leafminer (tuta absoluta), both of which caused widespread losses in 2016. It also delivers timely weather updates and agronomic advice.
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The Platform provides data for farmers to receive early warnings and tailored insights that were once only available through trained experts. The result is better planning and fewer crop losses.
The service now reaches over 22,000 farmers, most of whom access the app through basic smartphones or Facebook. This makes it suitable for rural communities with limited infrastructure.
2. eMsika – Input Marketplace for Poultry and Livestock
Before eMsika entered the scene, small-scale poultry farmers struggled to access digital tools suited to their daily needs.
Founded in 2016 by Gilbert Mwale and Elton Chirwa, eMsika set out to close that gap. The company provides poultry and livestock farmers with direct access to critical inputs like feed, vaccines and equipments, through a user-friendly platform.
At the center of its efforts is the FarmHouse app, designed for urban poultry producers. It offers more than product access. Farmers use it to learn practical skills, connect with peers, and improve their operations.
To date, the app has reached close to 2,000 users, while over 8,000 farmers have completed online training through the platform.
3. Shamba Data – Market Access and Intelligence
Shamba Data focuses on solving one of African agriculture’s biggest gaps which is access to reliable data. The company collects and delivers agricultural information to support food production, monitor food security, and address climate risks across the continent.
In Zambia, its efforts are more targeted. Shamba Data provides real-time market information to over 6000 farmers across four major open markets. This helps reduce market uncertainty and eases access barriers that often leave farmers exposed to losses.
In short, the goal is to equip farmers with knowledge they can act on, and create a more connected, transparent food system.
4. Netagrow – Smarter Farming Through Precision Irrigation
Improving food production starts with better decisions on the farm. Netagrow delivers this through a digital platform that brings together data, remote sensing, and AI to support crop health and boost yields.
The platform links over 5,000 farmers to a network of 1,000 agricultural experts. From pest control to harvest timing, farmers receive real-time advice tailored to their conditions. It also connects them to buyers. This eases one of the toughest challenges—market access.
Behind this effort lies a broader vision. The Founder, Nchimunya Munyama plans to build a dedicated device that captures detailed environmental data. This will sharpen the accuracy of field-level insights. His next phase points to precision irrigation that uses real-time data to improve water use and reduce crop stress.
5. Good Nature Agro – Empowering Smallholders through Legume Farming
Legumes often go underused in African agriculture. But they hold strong potential, not just for nutrition and soil health, but for income generation. Good Nature Agro (GNA) has positioned itself around that idea.
Operating across Zambia, the enterprise works with over 30,000 smallholders to grow four legume varieties: cowpea, groundnut, soybean, and common beans. Their focus is twofold: support farmers with inputs, contracts, and training, while connecting them to buyers through structured offtake deals.
And beyond seed and commodity sales, GNA is building a digital platform that captures years of on-ground data to support financial inclusion. The goal is to provide banks and institutions with deeper insights into individual farmers, their capacity, risk profile, and potential. This fintech tool will house an alternative credit model, with the aim of unlocking new flows of capital into the smallholder economy.
Final Thoughts
What is emerging in Zambia’s agritech space shows a clear intent to modernise how food is produced and moved. A growing group of businesses is building tools and services that respond to practical challenges in the food system, from climate stress to supply inefficiencies. These efforts reflect a sector that is adapting and laying down structures that could shape its future.
