German-Zambian Agricultural Training and Knowledge Center (AKTC), Phase 4

AKTC

The German–Zambian Agricultural Knowledge and Training Centre (AKTC) is implemented under the Bilateral Cooperation Programme (BKP) of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH) as a public-private partnership (PPP). Political partners are the BMLEH and the Zambian Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), while key operational partners include the Golden Valley Agricultural Research Trust (GART) and the Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU), alongside European agribusiness partners. 

The AKTC is located on the GART research station near Chisamba, around 70 km north of Lusaka, and serves as a national hub for training, demonstration and applied innovation in mechanised and climate-resilient agriculture.

Project objective

The overall objective is to strengthen market-oriented, climate-resilient and sustainable agricultural production in Zambia while deepening German-Zambian cooperation in agriculture and agri-food policy. Specifically, the project aims to sustainably establish the AKTC as an international hub for agribusiness and research partnerships, with a focus on agricultural mechanisation, sustainable farming practices, and bilateral technology and knowledge exchange.

Intended project results

Phase 4 focuses on consolidating the AKTC as a national competence centre and preparing its transition into Zambian ownership. Key thematic priorities include climate-adapted and regenerative farming methods, mechanisation and conservation agriculture, applied research and demonstration, mobile training formats (AMTT), and stronger integration of private-sector partnerships. A cross-cutting theme is the development of sustainable business and financing models to ensure long-term institutional viability beyond donor funding.

Specifically, the project is working towards the following:

• Establishing the AKTC as a platform for bilateral knowledge and technology transfer and as an interface for international and national business and research partnerships
• Transforming the AKTC into a Zambian institution based on a sustainable operating and financing concept with private sector participation
• Training farmers, trainers, advisors, and technical staff in modern, climate-resilient, and sustainable methods of crop production
• Testing, demonstrating, and widely disseminating modern mechanization technologies and sustainable production systems

Implementer

The AKTC is implemented by the consortium GOPA AFC GmbH (lead partner) and IAK Agrar Consulting GmbH.