How smallholder farmers in Zambia are adapting to droughts (opens in new tab)

Evidence from over 6,600 farm households in Zambia finds that droughts reduce yields of maize, beans, and groundnuts while prompting smallholders to diversify crops, adopt resilient seed varieties, and expand cultivated area. This suggests that well-timed extension support and greater investment in drought-tolerant crops could significantly strengthen the adaptive capacity of smallholder farming systems.