1. For Sustainable Development
The main problems causing low food production in Zambia are: low soil fertility, low use of external inputs (fertilizer and agricultural chemicals), loss of soil organic matter, and soil structural damage due to poor land husbandry practices. Other constraints are natural disasters, (for instance erratic rainfall), limited access to capital, poor information of appropriate technologies and poor marketing arrangements. The problems that affect 90% of small scale farmers have resulted in overall household food insecurity and widespread malnutrition. In trying to solve this problem, there appears to be no other alternative other than promoting sustainable agricultural practices among small scale farmers
2. Sustainable Agriculture : A solution
crops |
Production (kg/ha) |
||
Average |
Acceptable |
Good |
|
Maize |
1,100 |
3,500 |
5,000 |
G/Nuts |
500 |
1,500 |
2,000 |
Millet |
400 |
1,000 |
1,500 |
Sun Flower |
400 |
1,000 |
1,500 |
Soy beans |
400 |
1,200 |
2,000 |
Sustainable agricultural practices could be a solution for low
agricultural income and food production among small scale farmers.
One of the definitions of sustainable agriculture is as highlighted below.
“Sustainable
Agriculture is a package of agricultural practices that meets the present
needs of the farm family in terms of food, fuel wood, income, etc. without
damaging the resource base thereby compromising the ability of future
generation to produce their needs on the same land using the same resource
base.” |
4.
“Model of Sustainable Farming System”
In
Luwingu and Mporokoso District of Northern Province, on-farm sustainable
agricultural practices and integration of farm business enterprises has become
a reality among small scale farmers. With the support of the PaViDIA Project,
farmers are now engaged in small scale livestock (communal semi intensive goat)
rearing, communal integrated fish farming and off-season crop production (green
maize production using gravity irrigation in each farmer).
Livestock
waste is used in fish ponds and to fertilize maize fields. These activities
have enabled farmers to widen their income source and reduce external input
cost, resulting in a much more stabilized farm economy.
Sustainable
Farming Systems can be realized through an integrated approach where a number
of sustainable agricultural practices such as the ones mentioned above are combined.
“Sustainable
Farming System is a combination of practices achieving agricultural
productivity in perpetuity maintaining the natural resource base by
application of conservation principles.”
PaViDIA Sustainable Agriculture Team |
5. Dissemination of Sustainable Agriculture through PaViDIA
Sustainable Agriculture practices are realized in PaViDIA Approach, an participatory extension approach through MACO extension officders.
Details of Sustainable Agriculture practices are found in our manual.
Click for Sustainable Agriculture Manual for PaViDIA Approach