This mitigation document focuses specifically on Choma District in the Southern Province of Zambia. The rationale for selecting Choma as a pilot area for identifying best possible mitigation interventions is three-fold: (i) Choma district is an important district for agricultural production; (ii) prevalence rates in Choma district are high and the district is severely impacted by HIV/AIDS; and (iii) FAO and the Government of Zambia had conducted an impact study in 2003, looking at HIV/AIDS and food security interactions, on which the mitigation interventions could be built. While mitigation interventions, as outlined in the next chapter, are specifically identified for Choma district, many of the ideas can be adapted elsewhere in Zambia.
Like most of Zambia, the majority of households in Choma district depend on agricultural related activities for their livelihood, including crop production and livestock rearing. In 1998, the number of farm holders was estimated at 12,599 (Food Security Research Project, 1998) for Choma, with 84% and 16% representing small scale and medium farm holders respectively, while only 0.4% of farm holders were large-scale holders (FAO/FASAZ). Approximately 10% of the farmers in the district hold title to their land (ibid). The major cropping systems in Choma district are cereals (maize), legumes (groundnuts and cowpea), and roots and tubers (sweet potato). Other crops produced are vegetables (both exotic and traditional), fruits (including banana and mango), tobacco and sunflower. Over the past 10 years, the agricultural sector has not performed well due to a number of factors. Liberalisation of maize and input markets as part of the structural adjustment programme in the early 90s, have resulted in a continuing decline in maize/fertiliser price ratios, and a subsequent general shift from maize to cassava and decrease in the use of improved farming technologies, such as fertilizers, chemicals and improved seed. The decline in agricultural production has been exacerbated by HIV/AIDS impacts, as was described in chapter two.
Livestock rearing is important for many rural households in Choma district and mainly involves poultry (all households interviewed); goats (54% of the households interviewed); cattle (49%) and pigs (7%). Few households rear pigs, mainly attributable to religious affiliation amongst most households in the Tonga ethnic group. Ownership of cattle is characterized by the sex of household head and HIV/AIDS impact status: generally more male headed households own cattle than female headed households and male and female headed households that take care of PLWHA own fewer cattle than households looking after orphans. Households looking after PLWHA sell cattle to meet medical expenses and shift to less labour demanding livestock like goats[5]. Other important livelihood sources for households in Choma are wage labour, charcoal burning, trading, and handicraft. Households with people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA), either male or female headed, hardly participate in wage labour to supplement income. For these households, trading is a more important non-agricultural income source because of their limited time due to taking care of the sick.[6]
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[5] 42% of the interviewed
female headed households with orphans and 17% of the female headed households
with PLWHA own cattle; for male headed households with orphans and male headed
households with PLWHA these numbers are respectively 75% and 43%. [6] Interviews with 69 affected households indicated that trading is particularly an income source for households with PLWHA; 14% of male headed with PLWHA and 17% of female headed households with PLWHA were involved in trading. |
