The USAID Business Enabling Project is designed to catalyze greater gender equality and inclusive private sector investment and trade in rural areas by strengthening the Government of the Republic of Zambia and select civil society organizations to improve and streamline policies and processes for economically viable and gender-balanced rural enterprises. The project supports the development of an enabling environment that incentivizes investments in trade, agriculture, energy, eco-tourism, and sustainable natural resource management.
There are policy challenges in the agricultural sector. Unbalanced agriculture policies favor maize production, which is disadvantageous to the production of other crops. Other challenges are poor financing for research and development, low mechanization, and lack of availability of information communication technologies to increase yields. Policy enforcement is a challenge in the tourism sector, as are illegal demands on natural resources, such as bush meat, charcoal, and timber, among others. Energy is an important driver of economic diversification, but is constrained by electricity generation sources. There are significant gender differences in access, use, and effects of different energy sources.
- Life of Project: February 2022 - January 2027
- Geographic Focus: National
- Implementing Partner: Cardno Emerging Markets, LTD.
- Total USAID Funding: $14.2 million.
- USAID Zambia Contact: Harry Ngoma - hngoma@usaid.gov
GOALS
goal one
Improve processes and policies that catalyze gender-equitable private investment in agriculture, trade, energy, and natural resources/eco-tourism.
goal two
Strengthen decision-making for the Government of the Republic of Zambia policy implementation and formulation through linkages with strengthened civil society organizations and the private sector where women’s interests are equally represented. This enhances investment for inclusive Zambian-led economic growth and development.
KEY RESULTS FOR 2022
- Prepared analysis and draft amendments for the Tourism and Hospitality Act of 2015. Amendments to the Act would give the Zambia Tourism Agency a renewed promotional mandate and dedicated funding from the 1.5% tourism levy to promote “Destination Zambia”. The amended Act also reduces unnecessary regulatory burdens on tourism businesses, which have been identified as a constraint to growth in the tourism sector.
- Coordinated donors to submit common principles for agriculture sector reform to the Ministry of Agriculture.
- Submitted comprehensive private sector feedback on the proposed Comprehensive Agriculture Transformation Support Program.
