Global Gateway
Co-funded by the European Union German Cooperation, Deutsche Zusammenarbeit
ENTERPRISE Zambia 2.0 Grant Portal

Demonstration only: nothing you do here is kept

This deployment has no database attached, so applications, decisions and audit records are discarded when the server recycles. Use it to look around, not to process a real application. A permanent installation needs a database and document storage configured.

A farmer stands holding a bowl of produce between a groundnut crop and a maize field, with a wooded escarpment behind.

ENTERPRISE Zambia 2.0

Grow your agri-food business, and the farmers who supply it

Matching grants and practical support for established Zambian agri-food businesses that work with smallholder farmers. Find out in a few minutes whether this is for you.

Applying is free. Nobody will ever ask you to pay for an application or a grant.

ENTERPRISE Zambia 2.0 programme photography

Applications are open

Closes Friday 27 November 2026 at 07:47 Africa/Lusaka. 41 days left.

Apply now

What is on offer

Funding is matched, so the programme invests alongside you rather than instead of you. Figures below are for the call that is open now.

50,000 to 1,000,000

EUR available per project, as a matching grant

4 provinces

Lusaka, Central, Copperbelt, North-Western

2 years

Minimum uninterrupted trading in Zambia at the date you apply

Priority

legumes and horticulture, plus other value chains with strong potential for smallholders

A farmer stands with arms outstretched in a soya field that reaches chest height, with hills on the horizon.

Who this is for

Established, for-profit agri-food businesses registered in Zambia, already trading for at least two years, that buy from or sell to smallholder farmers.

That includes production and contract farming, out-grower schemes, processing and value addition, agro-input supply, logistics, aggregation, storage, market access, digital agriculture and climate-smart technology.

You do not need a physical presence in a target province if you have a genuine supply link to one, such as sourcing from producers based there or supplying inputs to them.

Check your eligibility
A farmer directs water from a hose along rows of young bean plants on an irrigated field under a clear sky.

What you get beyond the money

Funding comes with preparation and technical support. Before you submit a full application, your business goes through a diagnostic, a boot camp, and targeted help with whatever gaps that uncovers.

The aim is a stronger proposal and a stronger business, whether or not you are funded in the end. Taking part in preparation is not an award and does not guarantee one.

The two funding windows

The programme runs two facilities. They have different sizes and different co-investment expectations, so check which one fits.

A farmer stands with arms outstretched in a soya field that reaches chest height, with hills on the horizon.

ENTERPRISE Zambia 2.0 Growth and Scale Facility

Operated by Luvent Consortium with GIZ Open

Targeted matching grants to established agri-food businesses, with capital investments of up to EUR 1,000,000 and a required 50% co-investment.

Grant size
50,000 to 1,000,000 EUR
Closes
27 November 2026, 07:47 Africa/Lusaka
A farmer holds up a large bunch of freshly lifted red onions against a deep blue sky.

ENTERPRISE Zambia 2.0 Micro-Grant Facility

Operated by World Vision Zambia Not currently open

Micro-grants to enterprises, delivered by World Vision Zambia with Avencion and VisionFund Zambia.

No call is published for this facility yet.

How applying works

Six stages, from creating an account to a decision. You are told where you stand at each one, and nothing moves forward without a person deciding it.

A young farmer smiles while holding a freshly cut bunch of leafy greens, framed by the crop around her.

Step 1. Create an account

Register with your name, a working email address and your organisation details. If your business already has a record with us, your account is linked to it rather than creating a second one.

Stage reference G01
A farmer in a pink blouse holds up two green maize cobs in a standing maize field.

Step 2. Submit a Request to Apply

A short form that checks whether your business meets the minimum requirements. Your answers save as you work, so you can stop and come back. When you submit you get a receipt with a reference number.

Stage reference G02
Two farmers harvest leafy greens, seen through the large leaves of the crop in the foreground.

Step 3. We check and screen your submission

Our team checks that everything needed is there, then assesses your business against each eligibility requirement in turn. If something is unclear we ask you a specific question rather than turning you away.

Stage reference G03 and G05
Two farmers stand together in a maize field, each holding freshly picked maize cobs and smiling.

Step 4. Take part in preparation

Eligible businesses join a preparation programme: a diagnostic of your business, a boot camp, and targeted support where there are gaps to close. Taking part is not an award of funding and does not guarantee one.

Stage reference G06 to G09
A farmer kneels in the yard of a homestead sorting pumpkins, maize and a bag of produce, with another person seated behind.

Step 5. Submit a full Concept Note

Once you are confirmed ready, the full application opens in your account. Answers you already gave are carried over so you do not retype them. You describe the project, the budget, the co-financing and the expected benefit to smallholder farmers.

Stage reference G10 and G11
A farmer in a patterned green and orange chitenge smiles while holding up a large bunch of harvested leafy greens in each hand.

Step 6. Independent assessment and decision

At least two independent reviewers score your application against a published scorecard. An investment committee then considers it and makes a recommendation. The final decision is taken separately by an authorised approver, and you are told the outcome either way.

Stage reference G12 to G19

What we will ask you

These are the requirements your business is checked against. You self-assess first, then our team verifies each one.

  • The organisation is the lead executing agency for the project. Applicants must be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the project, and not act merely as an intermediary.
  • The organisation is a for-profit entity. Not-for-profit organisations, microfinance institutions and government bodies are not eligible as lead applicants.
  • The organisation was not awarded funding as a lead applicant under ENTERPRISE Zambia Challenge Fund 1.0. Participation as an implementing partner or consortium member does not affect eligibility.
  • The company has at least two years of uninterrupted operations in Zambia at the date of application.
  • The business is an agri-food business in an eligible value chain. The tobacco value chain is excluded. Legumes and horticulture have priority.
  • The business has a presence in, or a supply link to, North-Western, Central, Copperbelt or Lusaka province. A direct physical presence is not required where a sourcing, aggregation or out-grower supply link exists.
  • The company holds the registrations and certifications required to operate in its industry, province and district. Includes PACRA, ZRA, NAPSA, NHIMA, local council certificates, ZEMA and ZABS as applicable. Documents are submitted later.
  • The organisation is not a Public Limited Company, State-Owned Enterprise, led by public institution employees, a not-for-profit organisation or a producer organisation.
  • The registration type is eligible. Cooperatives, sole traders and partnerships cannot apply.
  • The organisation is not subject to a garnishee order or similar court-ordered attachment affecting its bank accounts. Decided by a person. A disclosed order is assessed on its facts rather than failed automatically.
  • The business can contribute at least 50% of the project cost through cash, cash equivalents, credit, equity or in-kind. In-kind contributions are capped at 20% of the total matching-fund requirement and must be independently verifiable.
  • Grant funding did not account for 20% or more of total income in each of the last two years. The test is both years. A single year above the threshold does not make a company ineligible.
  • Audited financial statements are available as required. One year is required for a request below EUR 200,000, and two years above it. Decided against the amount actually requested.
  • Any confirmed breach of the law or corruption allegation in the last five years has been disclosed and assessed. The application form states that a disclosed breach or allegation does not automatically rule out an organisation. This criterion is never decided automatically.
  • The organisation can provide a signed voluntary disclosure statement.

Applying is free, always

No fee is charged at any stage, and nobody acting for this programme will ask you for money, a gift or a favour in exchange for an application, a place on the preparation programme, or a grant.

If anyone asks you for a payment, do not pay. Report it to EnterpriseZambia@luvent-consulting.com. Trying to obtain information or support outside the published process leads to disqualification.

What progressing does and does not mean

Being found eligible, joining preparation, being invited to submit a full application, or being recommended by the investment committee are each separate from an award.

Funding is confirmed only when an authorised decision is recorded and sent to you in writing, and it will carry conditions that must be met before any agreement is signed.

Questions people ask

Does it cost anything to apply?

No. Applying is free at every stage. Nobody acting for this programme will ever ask you for a payment, a fee or a gift in exchange for an application, a place on the preparation programme, or a grant. If anyone asks you for money, do not pay, and report it to the helpdesk straight away.

Does getting through a stage mean I will be funded?

No. Progressing to preparation, being invited to submit a full application, or being recommended by the committee are all separate from an award. Funding is only confirmed when an authorised decision is recorded and communicated to you in writing, and even then it carries conditions that must be met before any agreement is signed.

What is co-investment, and why do I need it?

This is a matching grant, so you contribute part of the project cost yourself. Your share can be a blend of cash, credit, equity from your own funds, and in-kind contributions. In-kind contributions must be independently verifiable, must be directly needed for the project, and are capped as a share of your total contribution. You cannot count the same asset towards another donor's matching requirement.

Can I apply if my business is not in a target province?

Possibly. You do not need a physical presence in a target province if you have a supply link to one, for example if you source or aggregate from producers based there, or supply inputs to them. Describe the link clearly in your application.

Which types of business cannot apply?

Not-for-profit organisations, microfinance institutions and government bodies cannot apply as lead applicant, though they may take part as implementing partners or associates. Public limited companies, state-owned enterprises and companies led by employees of public bodies are not eligible. Cooperatives, sole traders and partnerships cannot apply, though cooperatives and other producer organisations can be contracted by an applicant. Projects cannot support the tobacco value chain.

I have had a legal or corruption issue in the past. Should I still apply?

Yes, and you should disclose it. A past breach of the law or an allegation of corruption does not automatically rule your organisation out. What matters is that you disclose it openly so it can be assessed properly. Concealing it is far more damaging than declaring it.

What happens if I miss the deadline?

Submission closes at the exact time published, measured by our server clock, with no grace period. Submit well before the deadline, particularly if you are uploading documents on a slow connection. You can still sign in and read your application after the deadline; only the ability to submit closes.

What if I disagree with a decision?

You can ask for a decision to be reviewed. A complaint is handled as a separate case by someone independent of the original decision, and the original decision and its evidence are kept on file either way. Contact the helpdesk to start this.

What will you do with my information?

Your company information is used to assess your application, including pre-award checks. It is held in line with the privacy notice published with the call, and is retained for a defined period after the end of the support period. Bank details and identity documents are held under restricted access and are masked in general reports.

I have a disability or cannot attend in person. Can you accommodate me?

Yes. Tell us what you need and we will arrange it. Preparation activities have alternative and remote options, and a business that cannot attend a session for practical reasons is not penalised for that. The same applies to presenting to the investment committee.

The farmers behind the businesses

The programme exists so that more smallholder farmers reach markets on better terms. ENTERPRISE Zambia 2.0 programme photography.

Ready to find out if you qualify?

The eligibility check takes a few minutes and nothing is saved or submitted. If it looks promising, you can go straight on to register.

Need help? Email EnterpriseZambia@luvent-consulting.com. All deadlines are shown in Africa/Lusaka and close at the exact time stated.