Abstract
Zambia’s efforts to diversify from mining to agriculture have seen many interventions aimed at improving the productivity of smallholder farmers. These efforts have produced poor results, as productivity has remained low. This study used 121 semi structured interviews, two focus group discussions and several key informant interviews to investigate smallholder farmers’ challenges over the course of a farming season, focusing on the main farming operations during different phases of the farming cycle. Results show that labour shortages during land preparation and weeding; and limited access to mineral fertilizer and hybrid seed constrain most households (83%) ability to increase total cultivated land. All the households engaged in rain-fed maize (Zea mays) production, while only 33% produced irrigated crops. The over dominance of maize production was a response to the opportunity provided by state subsidization of inputs and maize pricing, as well as the liberal macro-economic environment. Post-harvest losses due to pests were reported by 42.1% of the respondents; 25% cited high transport costs while 25% lamented the low market prices for farm produce immediately after harvest as important challenges. Proximity to an international border and an atmosphere that encourage private sector investment and cross border trade were important opportunities for the famers to sell off their production. Additionally, being in a relatively highly populated mining district provided local market opportunities not available to farmers in rural areas. It is concluded that understanding of challenges and opportunities over the course of a farming season would aid development actors in designing and implementing appropriate interventions. Key words: Agricultural productivity, weeding, markets, rain-fed, farming inputs, Mufulira.
Highlights
The Southern African country of Zambia is renowned for its large copper deposits
Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) was premised on neo-liberal principles of a free market economy and inter alia demanded the removal of agricultural subsidies and privatisation of national parastatal companies
About 60% complained about the high labour requirements for weeding and complained that they found weeding especially challenging as it has to be done within a short period characterized by many days of heavy rainfall which occasionally prevents them from working
Summary
The Southern African country of Zambia is renowned for its large copper deposits. State interventions in the agricultural sector were mostly focused on maize (Zea mays) and included the provision of producer subsidies for maize seed and mineral fertilizers; the setting of pan territorial floor prices, and marketing of maize grain. In the mid-1970s, the price of copper on the world market collapsed. The price of oil on the world market quadrupled. Zambia experienced an economic depression which the state tried to offset by borrowing heavily from international lenders, but only worked to push the country into a debt crisis. The state agreed to implement the International Monetary Fund’s Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) in l989. SAP was premised on neo-liberal principles of a free market economy and inter alia demanded the removal of agricultural subsidies and privatisation of national parastatal companies
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