Zambian Farmers Urged to Boost Maize Production for Export as Demand Grows in DRC

By Samuel Mbewe

The Ministry of Agriculture has called on farmers across the country to increase maize production to take advantage of the growing demand for mealie-meal in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Director of Agriculture Dr. Chizumba Shepande said Zambia has the potential to produce more than enough maize to satisfy both domestic consumption and regional export markets. 

He noted that while many citizens have raised concerns about mealie-meal smuggling into the DRC, the situation also presents a unique trade opportunity that Zambian farmers can harness for economic growth.

“Zambians have been complaining about maize and mealie-meal being smuggled to Congo when, in fact, the country can produce more for the available market in the neighboring DRC,” Dr. Shepande said.

He warned that South Africa and other regional competitors are already positioning themselves to supply the Congo market, and urged Zambian farmers to seize the opportunity by increasing production and contributing to the country’s foreign exchange earnings.

Dr. Shepande was speaking during the launch of the National Conservation Agriculture Baseline Survey and the National Conservation Agriculture Framework, held in Lusaka.

At the same event, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Zambia’s efforts to increase adoption of Conservation Agriculture (CA) among smallholder farmers.

Ronald Msoni, an Agronomist at FAO, noted that despite the government’s efforts, the national adoption rate of conservation agriculture remains below 30 percent.

“FAO, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, is promoting conservation agriculture under the EU-funded Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Farmers (SIFAZ) project,” Msoni explained.

He said the project is being implemented in 27 districts across five provinces, and that more than 20,000 smallholder farmers are currently being trained in conservation agriculture through the SIFAZ and SCRALA initiatives.

Mr. Msoni emphasized that increasing the adoption of climate-smart farming techniques will not only improve yields but also help farmers adapt to the challenges of a changing climate.

Climate Change Threatens Agriculture Sector

Meanwhile, Climate Alliance Chairperson Dailesi Judge expressed concern over the impact of climate change on Zambia’s largely rain-fed agriculture sector, which contributes around 20 percent to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“The agriculture sector is being threatened by the adverse impacts of climate change, as it remains one of the most climate-sensitive sectors of our economy,” Judge said.

He urged farmers and policymakers to accelerate the transition toward sustainable and resilient agricultural practices to safeguard livelihoods and food security.