Zambia

Golden has been busy ripping his land in preparation for the coming planting season. (Copyright: WFP/Victoria Cavanagh)

'Farming Is Serious Business' – Small Scale Farmer Encourages Others To Reap Benefits Of What They Sow

Golden Lwiindi, 40, is a smallholder farmer in Zambia’s Southern Province. In the past five years, he has bred more than 50 goats, developed his farm, planted and sold a variety of crops, and bought a hammer mill. He says the secret to his success is thinking of farming as a way to make money, not just as a traditional way of life – adopting new technologies and methods, crop diversification, record keeping and good planning also help.

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Zambia:The Art Of Farming - Crop Diversification

Overview

Zambia is ranked 164th of 187 on the Human Development Index and was recently reclassified as a lower middle income country by the World Bank. Poverty and food insecurity are widespread in both rural and urban areas, and the country remains extremely vulnerable to recurring natural disasters, including floods, drought and animal disease.

Food production levels vary widely from year to year. Food security is fragile because subsistence farmers depend on rainfall and traditional hoe cultivation. Even in years of national food surplus, many subsistence farmers struggle to make ends meet.