General information
Zambia , a land-locked country, lies between latitudes 8 o and 18 oS and 22 o and 34 o E longitude in southern Africa . The country has a total area of 752,614 square kilometer. The country is mainly a plateau with an altitude range of 900 -1350 m. Some valleys lie below 310 m. It has tropical climate modified by altitude. Rainy season lasts from October to April. Out of 740,724 sq km land area 7.08 % is arable land.
Zambia has an estimated population of 10.31 million (July 2003) with an annual growth rate of 1.52 %. Agriculture accounts for 22 % of GDP and employs 85 % of labor force.
Importance of groundnut
Most of the groundnut produced in Zambia is grown by resource poor smallholder farmers. It is a good source for cash income and vegetable protein to low-income groups. Confectionary nuts make up the bulk of production and consumption in the country ( Sandhu et al 1986). Groundnut production fell sharply in late 1970s and early 1980s. It has started increasing since late 1980s.
Production environment
The Eastern and Central provinces are the major groundnut producing regions in the country. Bulk of the production takes place in the central plateau of Eastern province. Groundnut is grown mainly as a rainfed crop. It is grown during the wet season, which starts in November and lasts until March/April. In the eastern and central regions, where annual rainfall ranges from 800 to 1100 mm, long-season Virginia varieties can be grown. These varieties mature in 140 to 160 days. But the southern and western regions, which receive less than 800 mm annual rainfall, are suitable only for short-season Spanish varieties ( Sandhu et al 1984). The short season Spanish varieties mature in 110 to 120 days.
High rainfall (1100-1525 mm) region in the Northern, North-Western, and Copperbelt provinces have acid leached soils associated with pops problem. Some of the major peanut varieties grown in the country are Chalimbana, Makulu Red, Mani Pintar, Sigaro Pink, and Natal Common ( Sandhu et al 1984).
Production constraints
Several insect pests attack groundnut in Zambia . There are differing accounts about the extent of damage caused by different groups of insects ( Sohati and Sithanatham 1990). However, the major groups of damage- causing insects are sucking pests like leafhoppers, aphids, thrips, and soil pests like termites and white grubs. Early leaf spot and late leaf spot are the two most serious diseases of groundnut in Zambia . There are also instances of outbreak of Puccinia rust reducing the groundnut yield ( Haciwa and Kannaiyan 1990).There was a sever outbreak of rust disease during the 1983/84 season. Usually short duration varieties could escape the sever infection, however, long duration varities were severly affected.
Production trend
Groundnut production trend in terms of total acreage, yield, and total production is given in the following table and chart.
Groundnut (shell) production trend in Zambia
Year |
Harvest Area (Ha) |
Yield (Hg/Ha) |
Production (Mt) |
1961 |
60,000 |
833 |
50,000 |
1962 |
60,000 |
750 |
45,000 |
1963 |
60,000 |
833 |
50,000 |
1964 |
60,000 |
667 |
40,000 |
1965 |
50,000 |
880 |
44,000 |
1966 |
70,000 |
857 |
60,000 |
1967 |
70,000 |
900 |
63,000 |
1968 |
75,000 |
867 |
65,000 |
1969 |
75,000 |
893 |
67,000 |
1970 |
75,000 |
907 |
68,000 |
1971 |
80,000 |
863 |
69,000 |
1972 |
90,000 |
880 |
79,210 |
1973 |
80,000 |
791 |
63,313 |
1974 |
60,000 |
793 |
47,596 |
1975 |
90,000 |
777 |
69,900 |
1976 |
160,000 |
801 |
128,226 |
1977 |
85,000 |
715 |
60,753 |
1978 |
100,000 |
336 |
33,550 |
1979 |
30,000 |
733 |
22,000 |
1980 |
24,734 |
647 |
16,000 |
1981 |
30,000 |
508 |
15,240 |
1982 |
21,000 |
446 |
9,372 |
1983 |
25,000 |
439 |
10,980 |
1984 |
23,000 |
577 |
13,273 |
1985 |
25,000 |
581 |
14,517 |
1986 |
28,000 |
649 |
18,184 |
1987 |
120,000 |
395 |
47,426 |
1988 |
70,000 |
477 |
33,400 |
1989 |
58,000 |
519 |
30,104 |
1990 |
70,000 |
358 |
25,086 |
1991 |
70,000 |
403 |
28,188 |
1992 |
55,000 |
373 |
20,504 |
1993 |
65,000 |
528 |
34,301 |
1994 |
85,000 |
409 |
34,740 |
1995 |
80,826 |
447 |
36,119 |
1996 |
80,000 |
434 |
34,755 |
1997 |
110,000 |
417 |
45,859 |
1998 |
135,000 |
422 |
56,934 |
1999 |
130,000 |
391 |
50,855 |
2000 |
132,284 |
393 |
51,971 |
2001 |
108,478 |
382 |
41,420 |
2002 |
125,000 |
336 |
42,000 |
2003 |
125,000 |
336 |
42,000 |
Source: FAO
References
Haciwa , H.C., and J. Kannaiyan
1990 Prevalence of Groundnut Diseases and Extent of Yield Losses Due to Leaf Spot Disease in Zambia . Fourth Regional Groundnut Workshop for Southern Africa , Arusha , Tanzania , 1990, pp. 93-97. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, India .
Sandhu , R.S., G. Kelly, and J. Kannaiyan
1984 Groundnut Production and Research : Problems and Priorities in Zambia . Regional Groundnut Workshop for Southern Africa , Lilongwe , Malawi , 1984, pp. 107-119. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics.
Sandhu , R.S., B. Syamasonta, and E. Simvula
1986 Recent Developments in Groundnut Improvement in Zambia . Second Regional Groundnut Workshop for Southern Africa , Harare , Zimbabwe , 1986, pp. 45-50. International Crops Research Institute for the semi-Arid Tropics, India .
Sohati , P.H., and S. Sithanatham
1990 Damage Caused by Insect Pests on Groundnut in Zambia . Fourth Regional Groundnut Workshop for Southern Africa , Arusha , Tanzania , 1990, pp. 113-116. International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, India .
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