Project: Building smarter infrastructure to grow Zambia’s economy

Building smarter infrastructure to grow Zambia’s economy—and create more, better jobs

How can a road help fight poverty? In Zambia, a strategic new compact to to be agreed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the Government of Zambia aims to unlock the country’s vast potential in agriculture and agro-processing by improving roads, powering small businesses, and making finance more accessible. But for public investments to truly pay off, these partners need to understand not just the costs, but who benefits and how.

The Limestone Analytics team partnered with MCC to bring that clarity. We helped assess how improved roads and better access to finance could translate into real economic gains – especially new, quality jobs for Zambians. This included going beyond standard cost-benefit analysis to examine broader impacts like job creation in the agro-processing sector, expanded access to markets, and increased opportunities for women and youth.

For rural roads, we analyzed how smoother, more reliable travel helps farmers get their crops to market, reduces spoilage, and opens new employment avenues. We also explored how affordable credit for small agribusinesses can spur hiring and strengthen value chains. Throughout, we worked closely with MCC and sector experts to ensure the analysis reflected the realities on the ground, drawing on both local data and global evidence.

The insights we provided are shaping MCC’s investment decisions for the Zambia compact, helping ensure that every dollar contributes to sustainable, inclusive growth.

This work was delivered in partnership with MCC’s country team and drew on expertise from agriculture, transport, and finance specialists across the Zambia agriculture compact’s design.