Agricultural Sector

It is almost axiomatic or otherwise empirical to state that Agriculture has a very vital role if not
central position in the economy of any country. For agriculture to play its all-important role it
must not be neglected or made occupation of the poor but should be accorded a prominent place
in the national policy and development plans. Zambia along with a host of other countries are
described as less developed or developing economies and still have a rural economy with large
proportions of their population still employed on the land. Therefore, there are urgent needs for
strategies for raising rural income through agriculture from the standpoint of renewable
resources; it is clear that Zambia is still primarily an agriculture base country. This standpoint is
accepted by people who are not deceive by the recent contributions of non-renewable resources
especially petroleum to the country’s economy.
Today, Africa does not grow enough food to feed its own population and African countries have
tended to satisfy increasing demand through more expensive imports from the global market.
The agriculture sector in many African countries like Zambia is in a parlous state. It’s a situation
primed for hunger and unrest.
To begin with, there is more to farming than just digging the soil and planting crops. Farmers
need to know how to select the right seed variety to get optimum yield, the best time for planting,
best on-farm practices to reduce crop loss and how to partner with the right off-takers to get the
best price for their product.
Lack Of scientific and technological know-how; In Zambia, scientific and technological Know-
how is relatively very low. Many schools there in Zambia do not even have science laboratories.
Hence, a great majority of students there rather theorize sciences than Practicalize them. In fact,
this Problem of Zambian’s underdevelopment in Science and technology often leave the country
to depend largely on importation and this equally, is part of the major Problems and challenges
of the country’s food and agricultural developments.
88% of Zambia farmers are considered small family farmers. Some of this stems from the lack of
funds to expand to large scale farming. Despite their importance for the domestic economy and
due to the sector’s productivity limitations, more than 72 percent of Zambia’s smallholders live
below the poverty line of USD 1.9 (691) a day.
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One of the major factors limiting farmers from growing and making a reasonable living is lack of
funds. These funds are difficult to come by as some banks do not loan to them for various
reasons. This leads to the farmers struggling to make a living, asking disinterested family
members to take part in farming instead of hiring proper human labor, and affecting agricultural
productivity overall. Lack of capital also prevents potential farmers from venturing into farming
business.
Mangal, (2009) states that, the agricultural sector extension service plays a key role in
disseminating knowledge, technologies and agricultural information, and in linking farmers with
other actors in the economy. The extension service is one of the critical change agents required
in transforming subsistence farming to a modern and commercial agriculture to promote
household food security, improve income and reduce poverty.
However, there is limited access to extension services in most parts of the country with the
National extension staff: farmer ratio standing at 1:1,500. This situation has hindered most
farmers from keeping pace with changing technological advances. There is therefore need for
recruitment of more extension staff and the involvement of NGO's to increase access of
extension services to farmers.
Most of the farming activities in Zambia are done by the locals who reside in villages. There are
no access to markets in the towns where these farm produce are sold. Sometimes, the produce
which cannot be stored are wasted due to their inability to transport them to the markets where
they can be sold. Access to market presupposes access to good transportation network.
Transportation thus, becomes a major problem to agriculture in Zambia (Nchuchuwe, 2012).
Also, due to the state of poor road networks in the country, goods usually perish while on transit.
Occurrences of accidents on our roads during transit of farm produce is a major setback to the
agricultural industry in the country.
Lack of information is one of the major problems that exist in Zambia’s agriculture sector.
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Industrialization and Privatization; Modern conversions and privatizations of food and
agriculture into a very big and expensive industry or conglomerate, is also of the major
contributors to Zambia’s food and agricultural set-backs.
In one hand, the modern global waves of industrialization and privatization of food and
agriculture really produces surplus food that is more than enough to feed, even the entire world
population. On the other hand, food and agricultural industrialization and privatization, really
added greatly to global hunger and poverty. The reasons are because Agric industrialization and
privatization results in an uneven distribution of food. Uses much of the produced food in
feeding animals is wasteful and destructive as it is only after quantity. Favors the haves and
disfavors the have-nots.
Global Warming; Global warming is also part of the major problems of food and agriculture in
Zambia. Forest destructions and over-grazing of animals have really turned a lot of Zambia’s
farmlands into deserts. Like in other countries of the world, several lakes; rivers; streams and
rain forests have actually disappeared. Many Zambian farming communities that only depend on
rainfall are now faced with severe droughts, erosions, landslides; deforestations and an excessive
massive loss of crops and animals. All these are some of the real impacts of global warming on
Zambia’s agriculture and food production. On the other hand, saw the problems confronting
agriculture in Zambia as the followings; Number and Quality of Farmers: The bulk of food
supply in the country lies in the hands of ageing and illiterate farmers whose number are on the
decline.
Communication Network Lack of adequate information media such as radio, cinema, and
television also adversely affect agricultural productivity, as they could be used to inform the
farmer on timing and on methods of planting, distribution and prices and markets for his
products. Education is the bedrock, the point upon which all development rest. It is indispensable
in agricultural development.
Agricultural education is a basic to the development of agriculture in any community. It also

serves as a weapon of liberation from ignorance, poverty and disease and that any improvement
in tropical agriculture must involve education for the youths. Farmers’ training is most effective
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when it is adapted to the needs of those who have both the means and incentive to farm. The
youths who are farmers in communities can neither be said to have the means nor the incentive.
They need current agricultural education as a means of government recognition and assistance as
an incentive (Wong, 2009).
Use of manual farm tools methods /crude farm implements; Average Zambian Farmer is still
making use of only the same outdated manual farm tools - like cutlass and hoe - as their
Forefathers used since many Centuries ago instead of using some affordable modern agricultural
techniques or simple machines that could bring change in productivity. In short, their use of
these kinds of archaic and outdated tools and techniques constitutes a very great set-back in the
country’s food and agricultural out-puts.
Yered, (1999) states that, lack of road, water and electricity; The rural farming communities in
Zambia lack access road, water, electricity among others. Some do not even have hospitals or
schools around them. The agony of not having these social amenities could make farmers
contribute less to economic growth through agricultural production. Lack of food storage or
processing facilities; Many delicious and juicy fruits, vegetables, and cash-crops are largely
produced from Zambias local farming communities and a very great Percentage of these
delicious organic Farm Produce often get damaged or Wasted before they reach their Final
Consumers. In this kind of a Situation, one of the major Problems that is facing the helpless local
farmers there, is lack of adequate food storage or processing facilities.
The effects of climate change has been felt mostly by the farmers especially due to dependence
on rain-fed agriculture. The changing and unpredictable raining seasons has greatly affected their
ability to plan their farming activities. Areas which received adequate rainfall now receive
insufficient rainfall reducing the land that can support agriculture. This brings the need for more
exploitation on irrigation farming. It is estimated that intensified irrigation can increase
agricultural productivity fourfold and, depending on the crops, incomes can be multiplied 10
times (Obwona, 2009).
To solve the problem farmers should be open to learning new techniques to improve their crop
yield. They should also actively seek and share knowledge with their farming communities.
4
Adequate training and seminars should be held for farmers and new technologies should be
introduced. If possible, farmers should be monitored to ensure new knowledge gained is applied
on their farms.
Knowledge, education and access to information are crucial. Agrovets are popping up in most
rural villages, and they are being trained to offer extension services. The number of extension
services is increasing. The Internet and mobile phone technology services in Kenya are very
advanced.
Government can address these challenges by sstrengthen the capacity of farmer groups and co-
operatives in production, processing, marketing and trade and promote the construction and
maintenance of appropriate agricultural marketing infrastructure including climate resilient
infrastructure; also, to Promote livestock, crops and fisheries marketing systems.
The government can put in place to improve the agriculture sectors are as follows, to improve the
efficiency of agricultural markets for inputs and outputs Measures. Promote private sector
participation in agricultural markets for inputs and outputs. Promote access to agricultural market
information, Promote warehouse receipt system for agricultural produce. Strengthen the capacity
of farmer groups and co-operatives in production, processing, marketing and trade; v. Promote
the construction and maintenance of appropriate agricultural marketing infrastructure including
climate resilient infrastructure
In Zambia particularly, a more pragmatic approach is needed if we are to overcome the challenge
of our inability to make good use of marketing opportunities in other countries such as the
Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola and Zimbabwe, among others.
Conclusively, agricultural growth doesn’t only benefit the people in rural areas and farmers. It
also benefits the rest of the economy and creates employment for large numbers of people,
thereby curbing youth unrest, and the pull factors that result in high rate of urbanization.
Agriculture is rewarding but the numerous challenges facing it in the country has made it less
enticing to a larger chunk of the population. This accounts for the low investment in the
agricultural sector by the teeming youths of the country.
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REFERENCE
Mangal H (2009). Best practices for youth in agriculture: The Barbados, Grenada and Saint
Lucia Experience. Final report.
Nchuchuwe FF, Adejuwon K D (2012). The Challenges of Agriculture and Rural Development
in Africa: The Case of Nigeria. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive
Education and Development.
Obwona, M. (2009). Determinant of technical efficiency different amongst small and medium
scale farmers in Uganda. A case of tobacco grower. Researcher paper. African economic
research Consertium.
Wong, I (2009). Increasing youth involvement and engagement.
Yered A. (1999). House Resources, Strategy and Food security in Ethiopia: A study of Amhara
households in Woggha, Northern Shewa. Addis Abba University Press.

Agricultural Sector

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Agricultural Sector

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It is almost axiomatic or otherwise empirical to state that Agriculture has a very vital role if not

Agricultural education is a basic to the development of agriculture in any community. It also

Wong, I (2009). Increasing youth involvement and engagement.

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