The majority of smallholder farmers in Zambia face land constraints in the midst of apparent
land abundance because agricultural settlements tend to be concentrated in areas where there is
infrastructure and most arable land in these areas has already been claimed;
2) Over two thirds of Zambian farmers own and cultivate less than two hectares of land, and they
account for only 40% of total cultivated land and 31% of the value of production by farms
between 0 and 20 hectares in Zambia respectively;
3) Mean annual household agricultural sales are significantly higher among the minority who
own and cultivate relatively larger areas of land. It is this small group of farmers that has been
participating in the agricultural growth that Zambia has experienced in the past decade;
4) Because the majority have not participated in this agricultural growth, rural poverty rates have
remained stubbornly high at about 80%;
5) Farm size is significantly and positively associated with smallholder agricultural sales.
Increasing smallholder farm size by one hectare is associated with poverty reduction of 86% to
53% for those owning less than one hectare, by 44% to the 50% range for the other farm size
ranges, and from 84% to 48% for all the households; and
6) Increasing smallholder farm size should, therefore, be an important policy option aimed at
increasing agricultural production and productivity, as complements to the range of other
recognized public investments and enabling policies.