When you look at this important article by Daniel Lifuka Sichinga it will show you that the Zambian agriculture sector is increasing each and every day,and will continue doing wel in the agriculture sector.

AGRICULTURE is becoming an
increasingly important sector in the
Zambian economy since the mineral
sector, which was the backbone of the
economy from post-independence times
(1964) till the late 1980s, has declined.
The agriculture sector generates about 18
to 20 per cent of the country?s Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) and provides a
livelihood for more than 60 per cent of
the population. It employs about two-
thirds of the labour force.
Agriculture in Zambia depends on
rainfall to a very large extent. Since the
1990s, crop production in the country
has faced the negative impacts of
extreme climate events which are
believed to be manifestations of long
term climate change.
Zambia has experienced some of its
worst droughts and floods in the last two
decades. Significant rainfall deficits at
critical stages of crop growth have
frequently led to a serious shortfall in
crop production.
Notable droughts in Zambia in the span
of two decades include the 1991/92 and
2004/05 droughts that extremely
damaged many crops.
This affected about two thirds of the
country and the country was left with no
choice but to import food from
neighbouring countries and seek for
relief food from donors.
Zambia again in 2006/07 did experience
severe floods and the same repeated in
2009/10 leaving more than 2, 000
households affected.
The evident impact of droughts and
floods led to a significant decrease in the
productivity of primary sectors like
agriculture, fisheries, wildlife and
tourism (MTENR, 2007).
These and many other occurrences like
extreme temperature and heat have been
among the consequences of Climate
Change in Zambia.
Climate Change is the gradual
disintegration of the Earth?s general
weather forces in a short period of time.
It should not be confused with the
natural change in climate that is
measured every after thirty five years.
Causes of Climate Change in Zambia are
not limited to pollution from the mines
inclusive of the industries, automobiles,
deforestation, land degradation and
indiscriminate waste disposal.
Climate Change is a phenomena that we
Zambians are experiencing, a clear
example is, the sprawls of dry spells in
the just ended rain season that has
negatively affected most farming blocks
of Zambia.
Though Zambia is Africa?s biggest copper
producer but farming remains crucial to
its economic fortunes, any shortages or
reduced harvests can fan inflation.
Climate change, if not addressed well in
advance, its impact would continue to
wane the resilience of people?s living
standards and the global environmental
integrity.
This is why we Zambians need to find
mitigation and adaptation measures to
cushion the impacts that have already
been created in the agricultural sector
and in general.
The government of Zambia through the
National Adaptation Programme of Action
has put in place an appropriate roadmap
which aimed at helping vulnerable
sectors and communities to adapt to the
adverse effects of climate change.
It also provides a framework for
mainstreaming Climate Change issues in
the national development planning and
programs.
Though this is a very candid move,
funding for Climate Change mitigation
and adaption programs in Zambia still
remains but a challenge.
There is currently inadequate financial
and technical capacity to finance and
implement bio-carbon projects that seem
to provide tangible solutions to the
impact of Climate Change.
Therefore there is a need to develop
programs to promote bio-carbon projects
in the country by attracting private
sector investment and external resources
into the agricultural and other sectors.
Climate Change in Zambia as already
stated has negatively impacted the
Zambian agricultural sector vis-à-vis an
increase in the incidence of hunger due
to destruction of crops, reduction in
cultivatable land and increased soil
erosion.
Physical impacts have been loss of
shelter, displacement of people and
disruption of communication due to
destruction of basic infrastructure such
road and bridges.
There has also been an increase in the
incidence of health epidemics such as
malaria and waterborne diseases and
reduced nutrition and natural resource
based livelihoods including livestock
On an economic outlook, the Central
Statistical Office (CSO) according to a
survey conducted ?Post Harvest Survey?
reviewed that the production of staple
crops which include maize, millet,
sorghum and rice dropped by twenty
percent from 1,134,319 tons in 2003/2004
to 884,575 tons in 2004/2005 planting
season.
This was mainly due to the droughts that
where experienced in the country. What
this means to-date is that if such an
occurrence was to happen we are likely
to face even more pressure on our
wobbling economy.
Another economic issue of concern is
that people tend to sale their animals like
cattle in order to raise money for their
food. This negatively impacts the
majority who are small scale farmers and
rely on cattle to for farming.
The sale of cattle on a social scale causes
people to lose prestige. Traditionally
people that have more cattle are
considered to be very rich hence when
they sale their animals because crops
cannot grow as a result of Climate
Change tend to lose their identity.
Then what is the way forward?
We cannot underline the fact that in this
day and age, the climate is changing but
this does not signify that as individuals
we can do something about it in
mitigation or in adaptation.
Solving issues of Climate change require
us to understand climate justice.
Environmental laws should be
interpreted to the masses and stiffer
punishments put in place for would be
offenders against the environment.
This is in order to also enhance the
?polluter pays principle?. Industries
inclusive of the mines should be held
accountable for their carbon emission
and carbon foot print.
Government should also ban the
importation of vehicles that have run
their course and emit Green Houses gases
that negatively affect the environment
and atmosphere.
For mitigation measures, government
should also monitor the indiscriminate
cutting down of trees by charcoal
burners. This also goes back to
introducing sound forestry policies and
laws that will protect the natural forests
as these take years to grow back into
complete forests.
When it comes to adaptation measures in
the agricultural sector since Climate
Change is already running its course, the
Zambia government should encourage
and find means of improving sustainable
agricultural practices.
Conservation farming, is also a means to
which as a nation we can combat Climate
Change. This type of agriculture requires
farmers to shift from inorganic fertilizers
to organic fertilizer.
It also looks at how forestry can be
incorporated into agriculture and plays
an important role in reducing adverse
effects of soil erosion caused either by
wind or water.
Re-afforestation and reforestation should
also be encouraged through sensitization
campaigns on the importance of trees to
agriculture.
Trees have a natural means of
controlling the amount of greenhouse
gases such as carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere and they also control the
pattern of rainfall in an area.
Areas with more trees tend to receive
high amounts of rainfall as they act as
water storage facilities in the natural
process and they release enough water
that is converted into clouds that
translates into rains as can be seen in the
Congo basin.
Another area is that of government
encouraging to farmers explore irrigation
farming. Zambia boasts of 45 percent of
water in the entire Southern Africa
Development Community (SADC) and as
such water should be seen as a natural
resource that can enhance sustainable
agriculture in the times of the
consequences Climate Change.
But again this should also translate into
farmers modernising their farming
methods. Mechanized type of farming
should be encouraged and traditional
systems as ?Chitemene? (cut down areas)
should be done away with.
Combating Climate Change is a collective
role that all people whether in
government, private sector or individuals
should support.
Negative attitudes toward the
environment should be stopped by all
well-meaning Zambians.
Resources that are meant to foster
national development are better off
being used to buy electricity generators
in government hospitals than relocating
people affected by floods or providing
relief food to people affected by
droughts.

Zambia's agriculture sector is promising.