The Improving Smallholder Farmer Resilience and Productivity in Zambia Project, implemented by FSD Zambia with support from Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA), aimed to expand access to agricultural insurance and strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers against climate-related risks. The project focused on improving awareness, access, and use of crop and livestock insurance products while strengthening the supporting market systems, including digital payment channels and partnerships with insurers and agricultural market actors.
This endline evaluation assessed the extent to which the project achieved its intended outcomes. The evaluation examined farmers’ socio-economic characteristics, uptake and use of agricultural insurance products, awareness and understanding of insurance, and the extent to which the intervention contributed to improved resilience and financial inclusion. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining quantitative household surveys with qualitative interviews and focus group discussions. A total sample of 500 participants was interviewed, consisting of 250 crop insurance clients and 250 farmers who had received awareness on livestock insurance products.
The findings show that the project successfully reached smallholder farmers with insurance information. Overall, 94 percent of participants reported receiving information about crop or livestock insurance. Community meetings were the most effective dissemination channel, reaching 72 percent of farmers, followed by trainings and workshops. Radio, demonstration sessions, and extension officers played a smaller role in information dissemination.