Agriculture in Zambia 🇿🇲

Importance of Agriculture 🌱

Food Security: Agriculture provides food to families, the nation, and the world, contributing significantly to food security 🍽️.

Raw Materials for Industries: It supplies raw materials to agro-based industries such as sugar mills, textile industries, and breweries 🏭.

Employment: Agriculture is the main source of employment for the majority of the Zambian population 👩‍🌾👨‍🌾.

Foreign Exchange: Zambia earns foreign exchange by exporting agricultural products like tobacco, maize, and cotton 💵.

Economic Development: Farmers contribute to economic growth by earning income and promoting self-sufficiency 📈.

Agriculture: A Science and a Technology 🔬💻

As a Science:

• It involves experiments to solve farming problems 🧪.
• Research is conducted to improve crop production and livestock management 📊.
• It uses knowledge from sciences like Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Soil Science, and Entomology 📚.

As a Technology:

• The application of skills such as planting, pruning, fertilizing, and techniques like artificial insemination and dehorning 🌾✂️.
• Use of improved machinery, pesticides, and herbicides to increase productivity 🚜.

The Need for Skilled Agricultural Workers 👩‍🏫

Skilled individuals trained in agriculture are essential for:

• Increasing crop and livestock yields through improved farming techniques 🌾🐄.
• Enhancing the quality of agricultural products 🌟.
• Ensuring sustainable environmental practices 🌍.

Importance of the Farmer 👩‍🌾

Food Production: Farmers produce food which is essential for the survival of people and animals 🍏.

Economic Contribution: Farmers contribute to economic development by earning income and becoming self-sufficient 💰.

Environmental Care: Farmers practice conservation farming to protect the environment 🌳.

Environmental Influence on Agriculture 🌦️

The Three Agro-Ecological Zones of Zambia 🌍

• Zone I: Located in the western and southern parts of Zambia with an annual rainfall of less than 700 mm 🌵.
• Zone II: Covers the central part of the country from east to west with an annual rainfall of 800 to 1000 mm 🌧️.
• Zone III: Located in the northern part of Zambia receiving 1000 to 1500 mm of rainfall annually 🌧️🌲.

Rainfall and Temperature Requirements for Crops 🌦️🌡️

• Maize: 650–1145 mm of rainfall, temperatures of 18–25°C 🌽.
• Groundnuts: 500–1000 mm of rainfall, temperatures of 25°C 🥜.
• Cotton: 510–1115 mm of rainfall, temperatures of 25°C 🧵.
• Rice: 1500–2000 mm of rainfall, temperatures of 20–30°C 🍚.