Farmers Business Game

Farmers Business Game is a highly interactive training for smallholder farmers, emerging farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs who want to improve their skills for a successful and sustainable farm management.

Zambia

In southern Africa, the Farmers Business game was first piloted in Zambia in 2018 in a project to strengthen financial education in the country with 47 trainers trained in a space of two TOTs (Trainer of Trainers).  The FBG was piloted in two focal provinces of Zambia which were Central and Southern provinces with an aim of achieving 20 trainings and reaching out to 400 participants in each province.

By the end of 2018, the demand of the Farmers Business game increased, and the trainings were extended to other provinces reaching out to 1,752 participants in 83 trainings. Due to the high demand of the training, another TOT was conducted in 2019 bringing the total number of trainers to 74 and among the trained trainers, 18 are certified trainers.

From 2018 to 2020, the Farmers Business Simulation Game has been conducted in all 10 provinces of Zambia,reaching out to 5,967 farmers in 276 trainings. 

Malawi

In Malawi, the Farmer Business Game Training methodology was introduced in May 2021. The Training of Trainers (ToT) drew participation from the Malawi Microfinance Network (MAMN), Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) and the New Apostolic Church and Relief Organization (NACRO).  

Following the ToT, NACRO and LUANAR have been implementing training programs targeting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, project beneficiaries and farmer clubs in different districts in the country. In August 2022, 11 trainers successfully obtained certification after undergoing both practical and theoretical tests.  According to the experiences shared by the training participants, FBG training approach helps them to understand that different decisions made on a farm have impacts on farm output among others.  

In 2024, DSIK trained and qualified another set of FBG trainers from Plan Internation and the Ministry of Agriculture who are in partnership with LUANAR. The trainers are expected to carry out training in rural incubation hubs. Since the introduction of the farmer business game in April 2021, we have provided training to a total of 677 farmers through 23 training sessions. Among these farmers, 465 of them are female, representing 70% of the participants.

Please find further information about the Farmers Business Game here