Food Security Framework | Hazards

• In some years, more frequent lately than before (the most recent being during 2004/05 season), drought occurrences affect the southern half of Zambia, with the greatest impact in extreme southern and western provinces. This results in significantly low production, reduced income, and high food prices. Livestock prices significantly fall due to desperation selling, which entails reduced earnings. The main period of food insecurity is from November to February (lean period). When the country experiences excessive rainfall, adverse impact is again mostly felt in southern and western provinces due to the presence of perennial rivers that fill up, flooding low lying areas. These areas are flood prone.
• Livestock disease. There is increased incidence of livestock disease outbreak due to poor animal husbandry management by small scale farmers.
• The HIV/AIDS pandemic, a national problem, continues to negatively affect a good part of the population either directly or indirectly. The pandemic has resulted in an increased numbers of dependents, with the elderly looking after orphaned children (a stress on already stretched households in a country with high poverty level); an increased number of street kids; child headed households; and reduced income due to loss of the bread winner or time spent taking care of terminally ill. The period of greatest food insecurity is during the lean period of November to February, as prices of staple are high and low producing households run out of food and look to markets.