204
Provincial-level data from the CSO reveal that the bulk of planted area of cultivated maize,
tobacco, sunflower, and seed cotton is situated in the Eastern, Central, and Southern provinces. This
is the primary agriculture production region of Zambia, with cultivation based on a hand-hoe farming
system, and with oxen used in some areas. Maize is generally the chief staple followed by sorghum,
while relish crops are vegetables, beans, and groundnuts. Cash income for most farmers obtains from
sales of beer, fish, chicken, and a portion of the maize harvest. Only minimal inputs are used in
production (USAID n.d.). In percentage terms, the Eastern province accounts for the bulk of national
area allocated to maize (34.8 percent), groundnuts (33.7 percent), and burley tobacco (93.3 percent);
the Southern province accounts for the largest area allocated to sorghum (28.7 percent) and sunflowers
(43.8 percent); and the Central province contains the most area under production of seed cotton (38.9
percent), rainfed wheat (73.0 percent), and Virginia tobacco (50.2 percent).
IV. Commercial farms sector
Table 7.3 presents time series data on the area harvested of principal crops for the period 1975
to 1989 in the commercial farm sector. These data are depicted in graphical form in figure 7.1 for all
crops, and for all crops excluding maize in figure 7.2. Maize clearly dominates the cropping system.
The data suggest a complex pattern of crop diversification characterized by three major trends over
time: a stagnation in total crop area; a decreasing emphasis on maize; and an increasing emphasis on
wheat and soybeans. Aside from the sharp increase in area harvested between 1975 and 1976,
followed by the sharp decline from 1976 to 1978, total area harvested appears relatively stable to
gradually increasing.
Figure 7.1: Changes in areas of principal crops,
Source: CSO.