Context
Zambia has fertile land, abundant water resources and great potential to diversify its economy by producing a wide range of agricultural products. Nevertheless, agricultural sector growth has been only minimal in recent years.
Half of the working population is employed in agriculture. As smallholders, they mainly practice rainfed agriculture, producing 85% of Zambia's agricultural products. Nutrient-poor white maize makes up 80% of the food grown and takes up almost two-thirds of the agricultural land. Cultivation methods often lack climate resilience. As a result, climate change, with its increasing extreme weather events such as droughts and heavy rainfall, is threatening the already vulnerable livelihoods of the Zambian population.
Objective
Agri-food policy is evidence-based and the framework conditions for small and medium-sized enterprises in these sectors have improved. Consequently, smallholder agriculture is better adapted to the climate, contributes to better nutrition for the population, generates income and supports equal opportunities.
