Drought Recovery 960x640

DAPP Zambia is implementing the Drought Recovery Programme to strengthen the livelihoods, nutrition and climate resilience of smallholder farmers affected by severe drought in three districts of Southern Province.

The project launched in 2024 to respond to the severe droughts through restoring farmers’ agricultural production and supporting their long-term resilience. The project promotes climate-smart farming, improved water use, better crop management and nutritional support.

Over 19,500 smallholder farmers—organised into local Farmers’ Clubs—are participating, with a focus on school-aged children, pregnant and lactating women, and adolescent girls.

Key focus areas

  • Climate Information: Sharing timely agriculture and climate information for farmers to make informed decisions in their crop management.
  • Resilience: Distributing drought-tolerant seeds, promoting regenerative farming, establishing seed banks and improving seed certification systems.
  • Post-harvest: Training farmers in storage and drying techniques to reduce food loss and increase household incomes.

 

  • Nutrition: Supporting school feeding programmes using school gardens, promoting nutrition education and increasing local food sourcing from smallholder farmers.
  • Credit: Improving access to finance through savings groups, linking farmers to markets using tools like Maano Virtual Farmers Market and encouraging value addition.
  • Water Resource Management: Rehabilitating water systems, promoting low-cost irrigation technologies and strengthening local water management committees to improve water access and agricultural activities.

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 KEY FIGURES

  • 15,000 school pupils to enhance school feeding
  • 437 community savings groups improving access to affordable credit and savings
  • 18,000 farmers receiving drought-tolerant seed varieties to improve crop and nutritional diversity
  • 3,800 pregnant and lactating mothers and 4,500 adolescent girls targeted with nutritional support through trained volunteers.

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Project Full Name: Strengthening Resilience of Smallholder Households in Drought-Prone Areas of Zambia

Principal Partner: World Food Programme

Other partners: Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Green Economy and Environment through Forest Departments, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and the Child Welfare Fund run in cooperation with the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services.

Private sector partners: Vision Fund Zambia, Vitalite, Griffin, Crop Z, Silverlands, SARO Agro, Forest Department, AGORA, and National Milling Company Location: Kazungula, Gwembe, and Namwala Districts, Southern Province