Mukupa Writes

By Linda Mupemo A field of organic vegetables at Loctaguna Organics - Picture by PELUM Zambia Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Zambia has commended government for embarking on the development of the first ever national agroecology strategy which is set to promote the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices in the country. PELUM Zambia Communications Officer Rebecca Botha said the agroecology strategy will feed into the national agriculture policy thereby attracting funding to the sector.  ZANIS reports that Ms. Botha said this during a Food Jam recently held at Loctaguna Organics, in New Kasama, which was aimed at equipping Journalists with practical knowledge on sustainable agriculture methods such as agroecology.  She noted that promoting the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices calls for concerted efforts from various stakeholders adding that Journalists have a vital role to play in raising awareness through disseminating information ...

Firm swinging over climate change storm By Linda Mupemo  Zambeef Cheese Maker Lucy Zulu shows off one of her latest products.  Zambia,like many other countries world over, is grappling with adverse effects of climate change.  Climate change has led to the country experiencing natural calamities lately such as floods, water scarcity, droughts and food insecurity.  Following the drought the nation experienced in the 2023/2024 farming season, Government is implementing various social protection programmes aimed at mitigating hunger in vulnerable households.  However, eradicating food insecurity in Zambia calls for concerted efforts from various stakeholders especially in the agriculture sector.  Zambeef Products, one of the largest agri-businesses in Zambia, is a player in the agriculture sector that has stepped up its  efforts in food production to help enhance food security in the country. The integrated business is mainly involved in the production, pr...

By Linda Mupemo  Cows search for pasture in Chisamba  Chisamba District Fisheries and Livestock Coordinator Magula Chikoondo has urged livestock farmers to embrace forage production to enhance good nutrition for their livestock all year round.  Dr. Chikoondo noted that most small scale livestock farmers in the area depend on wild fodder to feed their animals, a practice he described as unsustainable in the wake of climate change.  Speaking in an interview with ZANIS, Dr. Chikoondo  stated that livestock farmers should be deliberate about growing food for their animals like they do human food.  Dr. Chikoondo explained that fodder takes a short period  of time to grow adding that the short rainy season experienced in the previous season was adequate for the fodder to grow had farmers planted.  “It is a bad idea for livestock farmers to leave their livestock’s feeding at the mercy of nature. With the climate crisis we are faced with, most streams and...

By Linda Mupemo   It is common practice for farmers in Zambia to start tilling their crop fields towards the end of summer (October) in preparation for the planting season.   2021 was not an exception, by the first week of November, most farmers had prepared their fields. Zambia experiences the   rainy season from November to April the following year. However, the disruption in the rainfall pattern for the 2021/2022 farming season sent shockwaves into the agriculture sector. By mid-December, most parts of the country were receiving below average rainfall.  Farmers  who planted their seeds after the first rains had dry, stunted crops towards the end of the year. Suffice to say a good number of farmers in the rural parts of the country solely depend on agriculture to sustain themselves. Therefore, any disturbance in their agricultural activities, natural or man-made, leads to the destabilisation of their livelihoods. Justine Musangu, a beneficiary o...