First Wheat Harvest at Malombe Irrigation Scheme Shows What Reliable Water Can Do for Farmers

Farmers at the Malombe Irrigation Scheme in Sioma District have harvested their first wheat crop, using water drawn from the Zambezi River in a project officials say demonstrates how reliable irrigation can help farmers withstand drought and erratic rainfall as Zambia braces for El Niño conditions.

The 25-hectare scheme, launched in May 2026, has produced an estimated 120 tonnes of wheat worth K1.2 million, about US$61,500. The harvest was flagged off by Dr Oliver M. Kalabo, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet for Administration, representing the Secretary to the Cabinet, Patrick Kangwa.

Malombe is part of a wider irrigation investment under the Strengthening Climate Resilience of Agricultural Livelihoods in Agro-Ecological Regions I and II, or SCRALA, project, implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture with support from the Green Climate Fund. UNDP Resident Representative Dr James Wakiaga said UNDP has committed US$1.6 million towards setting up water and irrigation schemes across the country to improve farmers' access to water for agricultural production.

The scheme, which draws on Zambezi River water to irrigate 73 households organised under the IMIKAYA Cooperative, was commissioned by President Hakainde Hichilema in May 2026 as part of a broader SCRALA rollout spanning 16 districts across five provinces, targeting close to 940,000 people with climate-smart agriculture, water infrastructure, climate information services and market access support. UNDP has committed a total of US$32 million to the project's work across all 16 districts, with technical support also coming from FAO, the World Food Programme, the Water Resources Management Authority and the Zambia Meteorological Department.

Agriculture supports an estimated 60 percent of Zambia's population, the large majority of it dependent on rain-fed farming, leaving households exposed to the kind of erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells associated with El Niño. Irrigation schemes such as Malombe are designed to reduce that dependence by enabling farmers to grow crops like wheat outside the traditional rain-fed season.

Malombe Irrigation is also partnering with the private sector to strengthen market access for its produce, an effort officials say connects climate-resilient production directly to farmer incomes.

Organisers say the investments under the SCRALA project and the Green Climate Fund are intended to help farmers strengthen resilience, maintain production and build sustainable livelihoods as the country anticipates another El Niño-influenced farming season.

Photo Source: UNDP Zambia