Zambia

Agriculture in Africa south of the Sahara is becoming increasingly risky due to extreme climate variability. In recent times, scientific studies have strongly suggested that many developing countries face substantial environmental and social challenges, with food insecurity high on the list (Vogel and O’Brien 2003). With a relatively large and impoverished rural population that largely relies on rainfed agriculture, Zambia is vulnerable to the impacts of rainfall variability, which pose challenges for food security and planning. Climate change will further enhance the impacts associated with climate extremes in most parts of Zambia. The objective of the chapter is to help policymakers, researchers, and country negotiators better understand and anticipate the likely impacts of climate change on agriculture and on vulnerable households in Zambia, given that about 70 percent of the nation’s population is dependent on rainfed agriculture.