The Smallholder Export Vegetables Project facilitated by ZATAC/DAI is a collaboration between smallholder farmers and a local commercial agribusiness, supported by ZATAC, JICA, and CLUSA. This project works with a total of 900 farmers through 10 producer-cooperatives or RNFEs. Smallholder farmers under this program are growing fresh vegetables for the export market. Marketing of the export vegetables is being carried out through Agriflora Zambia Ltd., a Zambian commercial exporter of horticultural products to European Markets, primarily the U.K.

With support from USAID channeled through ZATAC, these smallholder farmers were able to borrow funds to buy new irrigation equipment systems to help them grow export-quality fresh vegetables year round. Cooperatives (RNFEs) on the other hand continue to receive technical assistance and training, for, e.g., in business skills. This strategic alliance, forged between a local agri-business and smallholder producers, has enabled the smalholder-growers to transition from subsistence farming into commercial production, such that they are now collectively expected to export 400 tons of fresh vegetables (mainly snow peas, baby corn, sweet peas, mange-tout, and fine beans) by the end of 2002. It is estimated that a farmer with 1 hectare under cultivation after 3 years can earn as much as $2,800 a year. The Smallholder Export Vegetable Project serves as a powerful example of how partnerships of this nature can result in improving incomes of smallholder-producers and creating jobs on the farm and in the community through its value-added activities such as in pack-houses.