Food security

cross-sector training in Zambia

Some of the causes of Food insecurity

1. Poor agronomic methods and soil depletion

2. Mono cropping – “Maize is King”

3. Droughts and floods

4. Inadequate agric extension services

5. Lack of improved seed and fertilizers

6. Bad road infrastructure

7. Poor marketing arrangements

8. HIV/AIDS

9. Donor & NGO handouts, dependence

Survival strategies for food insecure

households

1. Illegally utilize natural resources

2. Buy maize with money saved from cash crops or sale of livestock

3. Sell labor

4. Depend on relief food

5. Beg from neighbors and friends

6. Reduce number of meals

7. Eat crops reserved for seed

Food Security situation

Volunteer sites

Most families ran

out of food at

critical times in

the year

PC Zambia

Food Security Core Competency

Aquaculture, Education, Environment, Health

Sessions

Strategies for Food

security

Overview of

Agriculture in

Zambia

Agroforestry

Gardening

Promote Sustainable Practices for

Food SecurityHelp to start a vegetable garden

Promote the use of improved storage facilities

Promote early maturing crops

Promote crop diversification

Work to improve irrigation

systems that sustain food

crops.

Improve the pest control of local crops and gardens,

Seed multiplication helping to create a seed bank either at a household or community level

Promote collective marketing.

Promote the consumption of locally produced foods.

Help individual families reduce household costs, which will provide more income for needed food.

Food processing/ preservation