We are beginning our work in five villages located in the Petauke District of the Eastern Province in Zambia. The Petauke District is bordered by Mozambique to the south and Malawi to the east. This district has sufficiently fertile soil for maize yields to reach approximately 130-140 bu/acre under good management. It is largely farmed by small holder farmers, and a lack of adequate roads discourages large commercial farming.

Seventy percent of smallholder land area is two hectares (~5 acres) or less while only five percent farm between 5 and 20 hectares. (Silva, et al, 2023) Each household is awarded between 2-5 hectares of land by the village chief. Consequently, there is no cost for land rental or purchase. Our Zambian Team Leader, Moses Banda estimates that approximately 2 hectares under good management could provide for the needs of an average size family with 4 children for one year. He recommends planting a diverse mix of crops to meet both the nutritional and cash needs of the family.

Rainfall averages approximately 800 mm (31.5 inches) per year with the majority falling between December and March. Rainfall in eastern and southern Africa can be erratic, and Zambia is no exception. Three seasons consist of the rainy season between December and March which coincides with planting, the cold season between April and July and the hot season between August and November. Fields are prepared in October and November, and the farmers wait for the rains to begin. Planting should commence immediately once the rains begin, and work may even be completed while it is raining Any delay In planting can result in reduced yield.

The reduction in productivity results from agricultural practices such as crop residue removal, nutrient mining, and monocropping. Land degradation diminishes animal productivity and worsens poverty where over 50% of the population lives below the poverty level. (WFP Zambia Country Brief)

 

Both men and women participate in all farming practices. Maize is the primary staple food crop in Zambia and the basis for most meals. Hybrid seed is currently used with Pannar (Corteva), Syngenta, and Dekalb available locally. The cost is relatively low compared to Iowa. Traditional, open pollinated seed, is available in bordering districts but is not preferred by Zambian team members. Maize varieties typically utilized in this region have a 125-130 day maturity, compared to 95-115 days for corn in Iowa. Maize is planted in November - December at the beginning of the rainy season and harvested in June. Seeding occurs in 30-inch rows but planted in hills of 2 or 3 seeds/hill. The seed is soaked before planting to help with germination. The target end plant stand, after thinning, is roughly 18,000 plants per acre, as compared to over 30,000 plants per acre in Iowa. Yields in Zambia are one-third or less than those in Iowa.

There are few options to customize commercial fertilizer applications. Commercial Urea N and Compound D (NPK and Sulfur) are available as standard mixes. Wood ash and manure are also used. Conservation agriculture recommends the use of compost, though it remains questionable whether there is enough organic material available to produce adequate compost for a wide expansion of the practice. Crop residues are used for animal fodder and household fuel, competing with the need for soil amendments. Fall Armyworm emerged in 2016 as a challenge to maize production and persists with limited strategies to combat the insect available to smallholder farmers.

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Alternate crops to maize include sorghum, millet, cowpeas, ground nuts, soybeans, beans, peanuts, and sunflowers. Crop rotation is not routinely practiced among the target growers. Relatively few alternatives are planted.

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Small vegetable gardens and foraging supplement row crops as food sources. Livestock noted in the area are poultry, swine, cattle, and goats.