In Zambia, maize is the primary staple food. The country’s persistent drought, exacerbated by the El Niño weather pattern in 2023, has severely reduced local maize production and increased reliance on imports.
Agreement for Maize Supply
Zambia has recently finalized an agreement with Tanzania to procure 650,000 tons of maize. This announcement was made by Hussein Bashe, the Tanzanian Minister of Agriculture, on June 30th.
The agreement was signed by the Tanzanian Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) and the Zambian Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU).
Economic Benefits for Tanzania
“This agreement will be implemented within 8 months and will allow Tanzania to generate $250 million in export revenue,” stated Mr. Bashe. The East African country anticipates a 25% increase in its maize harvest to 10 million tons in 2024, according to official data, and is expected to have an exportable surplus of 4 million tons.
Addressing Zambia’s Production Deficit
For Zambia, this reliance on Tanzania for imports aims to address a production deficit of 900,000 tons in a context where the El Niño-induced drought has affected agricultural productivity.
The Southern African country expects a maize harvest of 1.5 million tons in 2023/2024, its lowest level in 16 years, while its annual consumption is estimated at 2.4 million tons.
South Africa’s Reduced Surplus
Furthermore, Zambia’s move comes as South Africa, its main maize supplier also affected by El Niño, forecasts a 58% decrease in its exportable maize surplus to 1.44 million tons in 2024/2025.
It’s worth noting that Tanzania had already signed an agreement in May to ship 500,000 tons of maize to the Democratic Republic of Congo.