By Derrick Silimina

Zambia has reaffirmed strong support to scale-up investment in agriculture, rural transformation, climate resilience, financial inclusion, and food systems development across Africa.

“The support toward IFAD represents not only development cooperation, but also a strategic investment in global food security, economic resilience, social stability, and inclusive growth,”

Ministry of Finance and National Planning Permanent Secretary for Economic Management and Investment Mulele Mulele said during the IFAD14 discussions held on the sidelines of the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group in Congo Brazzaville.

Mulele acknowledged IFAD’s strong financing multiplier effect under IFAD13, where every $1 contributed by Member States helped mobilize approximately US$60million toward investments in rural transformation, resilience-building, and food systems development.

The Permanent Secretary further emphasized the importance of expanding support toward the “first mile” of agricultural production and rural development, where many smallholder farmers, women, youth, and vulnerable rural communities continue to face constraints related to access to finance, technology, infrastructure, productive assets, and reliable markets.

“The recently approved Financial Inclusion for Resilience and Innovation Project (FIRIP), valued at approximately $50 million, is an important step toward strengthening rural financial inclusion, agricultural productivity, climate resilience, and economic opportunities for women and young people in rural communities.”

The Zambian delegation to the AFDB Annual Meetings is led by Secretary to the Treasury Felix Nkulukusa. Others in the delegation are Bank of Zambia Deputy Governor – Operations Dr. Francis Chipimo, and Bank of Zambia Director of Research Dr. Jonathan Chipili.

In a meantime, IFAD Vice President Geraldine Mukeshimana said the IFAD14 demonstrates that investing in rural people is not charity, but smart economic strategy.

“Rural investment strengthens food security, creates jobs, reduces poverty, builds resilience, and unlocks long-term growth, particularly for Africa’s youth and small-holder farmers,” Mukeshimana said.