NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

The impacts of climate change are threatening food security in Zambia. Smallholder farmers that rely heavily on rainfed agriculture are acutely aware of this, as they regularly suffer from droughts, floods and the resulting failed harvests. In 2019, a severe drought in Zambia led to 2.3 million people requiring emergency food assistance to meet their nutritional needs.

As smallholders try to recover, they now must grapple with the compounding effects of the coronavirus.

The pandemic, combined with the public health measures taken to suppress it, is aggravating existing vulnerabilities, straining food systems and eroding farmers’ already limited ability to withstand shocks. The virus has disrupted supply chains, leading to an increase in the cost of agricultural inputs critical to their productivity and livelihoods.

Photo courtesy of Neil Palmer.