Promoting Smart-Climate Agriculture To Reduce Poverty

Zambia is currently grappling with its worst drought in recent history, with over 60% of the population living below the poverty line. The rural poverty rate is estimated to be over 70%, exacerbating the challenges faced by rural farmers. These farmers lose 30-45% of their annual produce due to post-harvest losses, largely attributed to a lack of entrepreneurship skills and financial literacy. This situation is further complicated by climate change, which affects the availability, accessibility, and utilization of food, ultimately impacting nutrition security.

The Central province of Zambia is particularly vulnerable to climate-related risks, including increased droughts, rainfall variability, and occasional floods. This vulnerability leads to a rise in malnutrition, undernutrition, and hunger within rural communities. It is imperative to take immediate action to adapt agricultural practices to the changing climate conditions.

This project aims to enhance the climate resilience of 1000 youths and young farmers in Mkushi District. By building their capacity to adopt climate-resilient agricultural practices, the project seeks to empower them to take charge of their agricultural activities. The project will achieve this through several key activities, including training on climate-smart agriculture, post-harvest loss management, and collaboration with local health centers to address malnutrition and undernutrition.

Upon completion of the project, the participating youths are expected to implement the knowledge gained, considering the nutritional value of crops while planning for crop selection and reducing post-harvest losses by 20%. The project's ultimate goal is to strengthen the capacity of 1000 farmers to plan for climate-related risks, thereby improving their agricultural productivity and nutrition security.

• 19/10 Balabana Road Chunga Lusaka, Alaska
• Hope Mwabila
• +260777580465
• Emwabila23@gmail.com