The Challenge
Across rural Zambia, most farmers rely solely on seasonal rains, leaving their crops vulnerable to droughts, unpredictable weather patterns, and shortened growing seasons. This rain-fed dependency limits harvests to just one cycle per year, undermines food security, and keeps incomes low. As climate change intensifies, rainfall patterns are becoming even more unreliable, making it vital to help farmers secure water year-round
Why It Matters
Year-round irrigation not only improves crop yields and household incomes, but also allows farmers to diversify into higher-value crops, contributing to better nutrition and market resilience. Access to reliable irrigation is a proven driver of climate resilience, enabling farmers to adapt to prolonged dry spells, maintain soil health, and safeguard biodiversity by reducing the pressure to expand farmland into natural habitats.
Our Model
Credorsave provides solar-powered irrigation systems through our pay-as-you-harvest financing model, removing the upfront cost barrier. Farmers repay after harvest, with farmer groups guaranteeing each other’s loans—eliminating the need for collateral. This approach delivers over 95% repayment rates while enabling affordable adoption of clean-energy irrigation. Combined with agronomy training, farmers learn to optimize water use, grow higher-value crops, and sustain year-round production.