Zambia

The MSC process in Zambia involved Selection Committees at both the district and province level in the two provinces of reference - Central and Copperbelt. There were two rounds of selection, first the district committees pre-selected stories, then the province committees made final choices. The MSC process included stories from Kapiri Mposhi and Chibombo/Chisamba districts. The final story was chosen according to a selection criteria valuing self-development (knowledge/mindset change), community development (improved nutrition/health), and sustainability (agricultural diversification, education). 

The final story selected by the province committee was about a woman who aspired to buy an oil extractor to process the community’s crops (sunflower seeds, soybeans, etc.) and fill the need for oil expeller services in the community. The committee appreciated that the woman in this story recognized that value addition for income diversification was most valued in the community and provided community members the opportunity to be involved in business supplying sunflower or soya beans to her business. The story resonated strongly with the identified values, addressing the community needs and aspirations. Moreover, the chosen story showcased a remarkable level of sustainability. It not only provided short-term solutions but also laid the foundation for long-term progress and development. The committee recognized the importance of selecting a story that could generate lasting positive change, ensuring that the efforts invested would yield ongoing benefits for the individual involved and create a ripple effect throughout the entire community. This is consistent with literature about the contribution of income diversification strategies to building rural agricultural household capacities to improve their living standards and prosperity. 

The fact that the storyteller already had an oil expelling business and experience with this industry convinced the committee that the proposed change was realistic and sustainable.

For Agricultural themes, entrepreneurs in Zambia were more likely to discuss aggregation services and animal husbandry than other countries. Additionally, storytellers in Zambia more frequently discussed debt and theft as barriers to prosperity. A woman from Zambia also highlighted the challenges of accessing a title to land on traditional territories as a barrier which exacerbates the risk of land grabbing.