“Across Zambia, farmers are facing unpredictable rainfall and declining soil fertility. Through the Water and Soil Accelerator Project, we are supporting communities with practical solutions that restore soils, improve water access and provide farmers with the information they need to make better decisions in a changing climate,” said Pamidzai Bota, Regional Programme Manager at Solidaridad.
The Water and Soil Accelerator Project is a multi-partner initiative working to strengthen climate resilience for 75,000 smallholder farmers across Eastern, Central and Southern Zambia by improving soil health, water management and access to climate-smart technologies.
According to Dr Ojong Enokenwa Baa, Researcher (Gender, Social Inclusion and Youth) at the International Water Management Institute, integrating water management with climate-smart agriculture is essential for building resilient farming systems.
“Water is central to resilient agriculture. By combining improved soil management with sustainable water solutions and digital climate information, we are helping farmers manage risks and protect their livelihoods,” says Dr Baa.
Since its launch, the Water and Soil Accelerator Project has already supported farmers with climate-smart practices. These include biochar production training, improved seed access and digital advisory services providing localized weather forecasts and early warning alerts.
The project is also scaling digital advisory services that allow farmers to access localized weather forecasts, early warning alerts and farming recommendations directly on their mobile phones.
“The early warning messages we receive through the digital platforms have made a big difference in how we plan our farming activities,” said Adamson Zulu, a local smallholder farmer from Katete District, Zambia. “Before, we relied on guesswork, but now we are able to prepare for dry spells and make informed decisions on planting and input use. This has reduced our risks and improved our confidence as farmers.”
To this end, smallholder farmers in Zambia put what they learned into practice. They demonstrated how improved soil management, better water use and digital climate information can strengthen agricultural resilience at the recent Water and Soil Accelerator Project Field Days in Katete, hosted by Solidaridad and the International Water Management Institute.
Held under the theme “Soil, Water and Resilience: Climate-Smart Farming for Thriving Communities”, the events brought together farmers, community leaders, researchers and policymakers to showcase practical solutions helping farmers adapt to climate change.
These were just some of the opportunities presented to farmers to demonstrate regenerative agricultural practices, such as biochar production, which improves soil fertility, increases water retention and supports long-term soil health. Participants also visited a community water reservoir with a capacity of two million litres, which provides reliable water access for irrigation and climate-resilient farming.