A tale of two worlds: Contrasting realities in southern and northern Zambia during El Niño

Maize (Corn)

Zambia

Sustainability & Environmental Impact

Innovation & Technology

Published Mar 25, 2024

Tridge summary

The article discusses the impact of El Niño on Zambia's agriculture, highlighting the stark differences between the northern and southern provinces. In the south, severe droughts have led to water scarcity, crop failures, and a shift towards more resilient crops like cassava, while the north benefits from above-average rainfall, improving crop prospects despite waterlogging issues. It emphasizes the importance of adaptive strategies such as crop diversification and sustainable intensification practices, including the cultivation of resilient crops and the implementation of Conservation Agriculture systems. The Sustainable Intensification of Farming Systems (SIFAZ) project, in collaboration with various organizations, aims to enhance smallholder farmers' resilience through tailored agricultural interventions, addressing the challenges posed by climate variability across different regions.

Disclaimer: The above summary was generated by a state-of-the-art LLM model and is intended for informational purposes only. It is recommended that readers refer to the original article for more context.

Original content

A healthy maize and groundnut stand in the northern Province (left) and a wilting maize crop in the southern Province (right). These photos were taken two days apart. (Photo: Blessing Mhlanga/CIMMYT) From the densely lush landscape of Zambia’s northern province to the arid terrain of the south, a stark reality unfolds, intensified by El Niño. Zambia’s agriculture faces contrasting realities yet potential lies in adaptive strategies, a diversified crop basket, and collaborative initiatives which prioritize farmers. Despite persistent challenges with climate variability and uneven resource distribution, the country navigates unpredictable weather patterns, emphasizing the intricate interplay between environmental factors and adaptation strategies Unpacking El Niño’s impact in Zambia El Niño presents a common challenge to both southern and northern Zambia, albeit with varying degrees of intensity and duration. The 2022/2023 season had above normal rainfall amounts, with extreme ...

Source: Agrifocusafrica