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Agriculture
it is the government’s aim, like some of its neighbors,
to successfully develop a vibrant livestock industry to
supply both domestic and export markets.
Agriculture contributes approximately 16 percent
of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and it is the
source of more jobs than any other sector in the
country. It provides employment for some 85 percent
of the country’s workforce.
Moreover, agricultural activities are the main source
of income for rural Zambian women—a group that
not only constitutes nearly two-thirds of the rural
population, but are also among Zambia’s most im-
poverished and vulnerable.
Agriculture is a key component of the Zambian Vi-
sion 2030 plan and the Sixth National Development
Plan. Its funding levels have been set to increase so
that it will make up around 9 percent of the domestic
budget in the years to come.
Sector dev
el
opments
Positive development in agricultural growth over the
past several years has improved Zambia’s food se-
curity due to improvements in maize production as
well as the increased production of other crops such
as soya beans, rice, and cassava. As a result, Zam-
bia has become a net exporter of food. Its exporta-
tion of cash crops such as tobacco and cotton lint as
well as food crops like maize is on the rise. Further-
OVERVIEW
Agriculture is one of the cornerstones of Zambia’s
economic diversification program, and it is an impor-
tant source of raw materials for the manufacturing
industry. It is also considered to be an essential tool
for reducing poverty and narrowing the rural-urban
divide.
Zambia has an abundance of arable land suitable for
both the extensive and intensive cultivation of crops.
Around 58 percent of its total landmass can be used
for agricultural production. The country also has a
pleasant climate and contains around 40 percent of
the water resources available in the region of south-
ern Africa.
Maize is Zambia’s dominant food crop, and it is pro-
duced in the majority of small-scale farms. Large ag-
ricultural projects have given way to cash crops such
as cotton, sugar, and tobacco. Meanwhile, small-
scale production for subsistence is widespread.
Some of the smaller farms focus on both food pro-
duction and cash crops.
Although maize is the most common crop to find in
Zambia, rice and wheat are becoming increasingly
important, commonly used for consumption in urban
areas.
The livestock sector, while not as important as arable
farming, has also expanded in recent years. In light
of new objectives to diversify agricultural production,
Credit: The Inzy Company
