The Second National Agricultural Policy (SNAP) provides policy guidelines for the development of the agriculture sector in Zambia. The document has been formulated in order to take into account the current trends and issues that have emerged in the agriculture sector as well as address the challenges that were observed during implementation of the 2004-2015 National Agricultural Policy (NAP). It encompasses key facets of the agriculture sector, namely: food and nutritional security, agricultural production and productivity, agricultural diversification, agricultural research and extension services, sustainable resource use, promotion of irrigation, agro-processing and value addition, agricultural marketing and trade, livestock and fisheries development. The institutional and legislative framework, decentralization, private sector participation, support to cooperatives and other farmer organisations and crosscutting issues such as gender mainstreaming, HIV and AIDS, and mitigation of climate change are also addressed by the policy. The policy establishes the following objectives: 1) to increase agricultural production and productivity; 2) to increase effectiveness and efficiency of agricultural Research and Development (R&D); 3) to strengthen the capacities of agricultural training institutions; 4) to improve the efficiency of agricultural markets for inputs and outputs; 5) to promote availability of and accessibility to agricultural finance credit facilities and insurance; 6) to increase private sector participation in agricultural development; 7) to improve food and nutrition security; 8) to promote the sustainable management and use of natural resources; 9) to mainstream environment and climate change in the agriculture sector; 10) to promote the mainstreaming of gender, HIV and AIDS, and governance issues in agriculture. The instrument aims to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. The right to adequate and nutritious food is mentioned among the guiding principles of the policy. In order to improve food and nutrition security, the following measures are foreseen: promote diversification of agricultural production and utilization; promote access to bio-fortified seed or vines for the production nutrient enhanced varieties; promote on-farm agro-processing; promote value addition in the agriculture sector; promote on-farm storage of food commodities; promote the preservation and utilization of nutrient rich food; promote cultivation and consumption of indigenous crop varieties; promote nutrition education; and promote production and utilization of nutritious food. The policy also aims to make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable. Specific measures shall be implemented to promote the sustainable management and use of natural resources, including: use of sustainable land management technologies; afforestation, community woodlots and agro-forestry; use of renewable energy resources; co-management of inland and transboundary fisheries resources; sustainable utilization of rangeland (grassland ecosystem) and pastures for livestock production; integrated agriculture especially among smallholder farmers; development of water harvesting, storage and utilization infrastructure; characterization, conservation and sustainable utilization of indigenous animal genetic resources including climate change resilient indigenous breeds. Moreover the policy seeks to increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters. Measures are foreseen to mainstream environment and climate change in the agriculture sector.
Zambia · 2016-02-01