Like many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Zambia has continued to experience climate impacts, including droughts and floods. The impacts have been devastating on infrastructure, the environment and the livelihoods of the people. Smallholder farmers, especially in rural communities, are highly vulnerable to the effects due to their reliance on rain-fed agriculture, and natural resources for ecosystem services. Urban communities have to endure the worst energy crisis the country has faced with power rationing intensified. This has affected small and large businesses further stressing the ailing economy.
A rainfall forecast by the Zambia Meteorology Department revealed that the El Niño climate was expected to persist and influence Zambia’s rainfall pattern during the 2023/2024 season. Erratic rains were indeed experienced during the last farming season, stressing communities, especially in the southern part of the country.
Farmer’s crops failed due to below-normal rains coupled with highly degraded soils resulting from the overuse of synthetic chemical fertilisers. The dry spells have led to water scarcity for both humans and livestock causing a shortage in pasture as well as a high livestock mortality rate.
As the 2024/2025 farming season slowly approaches, anxiety about whether the country will have normal rainfall among smallholder farmers, business entrepreneurs and the general public is mounting.
Muntinta Handondo, a youth farmer from Trywell Youth Club from Choma District of Southern Province says their club is adopting agroecology and organic agriculture as an adaptation to climate change.
“We cannot continue farming the way we used to farm when we received a lot of rain. We need to have a way of helping the soil to keep water for a longer time” says Handondo. Handondo adds that the dry spells caused crop failures in the 2023/2024 farming season and have threatened household food and nutrition security.
“We have been using chemical fertilisers for a long time, so the soils cannot produce anything without it. The lack of enough rain just made it worse,” says Handondo.
Handondo notes that her club is focusing on organic soil improvement through biochar, agroforestry and Bokashi compost.
“We make biochar and use it in the vegetable garden for the club. So far, it has done very well, and we have been selling the vegetables to the community.
Handondo explains that as opposed to synthetic chemical fertilisers that are associated with soil degradation, biochar improves soil fertility and is environmentally friendly.
“We are planning to conduct community trainings on organic agriculture technologies just to help the community members to secure their food by using biochar and other organic inputs”, Handondo says.
Biochar is a form of charcoal that is produced by heating organic material such as agricultural waste, wood chips and manure in the absence of oxygen.
Benefits of Biochar:
- Soil Improvement:
- Soil Fertility: Biochar can enhance soil structure, increase nutrient retention, and improve water-holding capacity. This leads to better crop yields.
- pH Regulation: Biochar can raise soil pH in acidic soils. This makes the environment suitable for plant growth.
- Microbial Activity: Biochar promotes the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the soil, which can contribute to nutrient cycling and overall soil health.
- Water Retention:
- Biochar helps soils retain water. This improves drought tolerance and reduces the need for frequent irrigation.
- Waste Management:
- The use of agricultural and organic waste in production of biochar helps in mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions that are emitted from waste.
Read more on Biochar by viewing the knowledge product developed by the Namibian Organic Association.
Author: Rabecca Mwila
PELUM Zambia Communications Officer-KHSA Project
