Zambia Defence Force to Harvest 29,600 Tonnes of Maize in National Food Security Drive
The Zambia Defence Force is set to contribute significantly to the country’s food security with a projected harvest of 29,600 metric tonnes of maize in the 2024/2025 farming season.
This follows a directive by President Hakainde Hichilema, Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Force, for the military to take a leading role in national agricultural production in response to the effects of climate change experienced during the 2023/2024 season.
The Ministry of Defence, through its three services, the Zambia Army, Zambia Air Force (ZAF), and Zambia National Service (ZNS), has intensified agricultural operations nationwide. The Defence Force has been allocated 20% of the Government’s goal to produce 10 million tonnes of maize annually.
In a special interview aired on ZNBC TV1, Ministry of Defence Permanent Secretary Mr. Maambo Haamaundu detailed the scope and scale of the Defence Maize Project.
Mr. Haamaundu revealed that the Zambia Army has cultivated 106 hectares of maize at Solwezi and Makeni farms, targeting a harvest of 500 metric tonnes. Diversification is also underway with 2 hectares of bananas, and 1 hectare each of avocados, Irish potatoes, and tomatoes planted at the Makeni Farm in Lusaka.
ZAF has planted 900 hectares of maize in Mbala, Mumbwa, Chisamba, and Lufwanyama, projecting a yield of 7,200 metric tonnes. The Mbala farm, which includes Polygon, Munyezi, and Base Farms, accounts for 600 hectares with an expected output of 4,800 tonnes.
ZAF has also branched into livestock, with 48 beef cattle at Mbala, 229 cattle at Mumbwa, and 114 at Chisamba, where a poultry project currently manages 10,000 birds, supplying 5,000 to market monthly. 50 hectares of beans have also been planted at Mbala as part of a diversification strategy.
ZNS is expected to produce the lion’s share of the maize, having planted 1,550 hectares of rain-fed and 1,414 hectares of irrigated maize. It is projecting 7,750 metric tonnes from rain-fed crops and 14,150 metric tonnes from irrigated fields, totaling 21,900 metric tonnes.
Key ZNS maize production sites include Munsakamba (Mkushi), Airport Farm (Lusaka), Musakashi (Mufulira), Mangango (Kaoma), and Mpika Farm. Additionally, ZNS is engaged in fish farming in Kafue and Gwembe and ranching in Mkushi and Choma.
Mr. Haamaundu said the higher yields from irrigated maize highlight the importance of controlled environments in boosting food production. He emphasized that the Defence Force has heeded the President’s call and is now poised to become a major contributor to national food security.
“With the current investment in agriculture, the Zambia Defence Force is not just defending the nation, it is helping to feed it,” he concluded.
