Agricultural development in the Western Province of Zambia with special reference to rice cultivation.

Abstract

The Western Province with its traditional subsistence agriculture is one of the less developed regions of Zambia. Climate and soil conditions and inadequate support services are the main constraints to agricultural development. Farming mainly consists of wet season food production. Cassava and millet are grown on upland soils and maize and sorghum on the lower slopes of depressions (dambos). Some farmers grow rice as a cash crop on the lower slopes, while others are engaged in extensive cattle raising. The agricultural potential of the region and the possibilities for improved family farming are insufficiently known but there are good prospects for an increase in animal and rice production. The rice area and rice yields can be increased by improved, site-specific cultivation practices and increased availability and use of draught animals. Agricultural development in the Western Province requires long-term planning, adaptive research with a farming systems approach and adequate marketing and credit facilities. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)