This compendium was developed to serve two interrelated purposes: 1.To assist in the development of USAID Zambia’s Feed the Future (FtF) strategy by providing a broad empirical analysis of the current conditions and historical trends shaping Zambia’s agricultural and food sector; and 2. To serve as a technical reference for organizations tasked with designing and implementing programs associated with FtF.
Summary Findings
• Rapid population growth and urbanization are contributing to increased pressure on Zambia’s food, health care, sanitation, and education systems.
• While the overall poverty rate in Zambia has declined over time, poverty rates in rural Zambia remain stubbornly high, with 80% of the rural population living in poverty.
• Despite its rich agricultural resources, Zambia has continued to experience chronic food and nutrition security problems.
• Agriculture in Zambia supports the livelihoods of over 70% of the population.
• Zambia’s economy has grown steadily in real terms since 2001.
• Land: Despite a relatively low population density, growth in the number of rural households contributes to increasing land fragmentation and shrinking land size holding in Zambia. While the mean land size holding in Zambia is 3.27 hectares, a quarter of the rural population controls on average barely one hectare of land.
• Caloric intake among Zambians is overwhelmingly dominated by a single food crop, maize. According to FAOStat maize accounts for 57% of Zambians’ daily caloric consumption.
• Government spending on agriculture is just under 10% of the total government Budget.