MUSIKA external review

MUSIKA works in Zambia to stimulate private investment in the agricultural market. It focuses on the smallholder and emerging farmer sectors.

This external review evaluates Musika's performance and effectiveness in stimulating private investment in rural markets in Zambia. It focuses on Musika's work in three key areas: tree growing, dairy, and digital finance.

The review assesses Musika's approach to market systems development and its ability to achieve sustainable, systemic changes that benefit smallholder farmers. It identifies successes, such as increased farmer participation and income, while also highlighting areas for improvement, including the need for better monitoring and adaptation of strategies to achieve broader, more sustainable impacts across the agricultural sector.

The report provides recommendations for refining Musika's strategy to enhance its effectiveness in driving systemic change and achieving long-term sustainability in the markets it targets.

Intervention description

Interventions focused on tree growing, dairy and digital finance. Specific activities included partnerships with nurseries, dairy processors, and veterinary services.

Musika worked with seven nurseries to increase the production and distribution of improved tree seedlings, partnered with dairy processors such as Lactalis to source milk from smallholder farmers, and supported veterinary companies to extend their services to rural areas. These interventions aimed to address systemic constraints in these sectors, such as limited access to quality seedlings, veterinary services and formal milk markets.

Partners adopted new business practices, such as expanding nursery production and improving milk collection centres. Evidence shows that partners adapted to these models, with several investing their own funds to sustain and expand the innovations introduced by Musika.    

Evidence methodology

The study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative data. Data collection involved surveys, interviews and participatory assessments with farmers, agribusinesses and other market actors.

The methodology focuses on evaluating changes in market access, productivity, and income levels. Comparative analysis of baseline and follow-up data was used to assess the effectiveness of the interventions. Monitoring and results measurement tools tracked progress against established indicators and outcomes.