Zambia’s refugee policy encourages farmers to be self-reliant

Following pledges made at the Global Refugee Forum in 2023, Zambia’s refugee policy is making progress towards improving conditions for refugees and their host communities.

When Mwaka Sangwa, 63, first arrived in Meheba refugee settlement in North-Western Zambia in 1993, she never imagined that she would end up spending more than half of her life there. Despite losing her husband and son to conflict in her country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), she hoped she would be able to one day return there.

Over three decades on, she, along with her children and her grandchildren, have known no other home. The eastern DRC continues to face escalating violence, with little sign of peace in sight. In the last five months alone, more than 400,000 people were uprooted from their homes.

“I was young and energetic when I first arrived here,” recalled Mwaka Sangwa. “We were told that to eat, we need to do farming.”

After being given a piece of land by the Zambian government to settle and grow crops, as well as training in irrigation techniques, crop selection, and pest control, she immediately started planting soybeans and maize.

Over the years, she expanded her farm to 10 hectares and now employs fellow refugees and local Zambians. “Farming is our livelihood,” she said. “When we grow soya, we sell [it] and then buy clothes, food, and pay for our children’s education. The maize from the farm is mainly used for food… and also to pay those who help us with farming.”

Mwaka Sangwa is among more than 110,000 refugees, former refugees, and asylum-seekers, mostly from the DRC, Burundi, Angola and Rwanda, who call Zambia home. Most of them live in agricultural settlements such as Meheba, which are gradually becoming hubs for self-reliance and local integration, particularly in the wake of Zambia’s recent efforts to expand opportunities for refugees.

Restoring hope and dignity
Following pledges made at the Global Refugee Forum in 2023, the Government of the Republic of Zambia launched its first national refugee policy last year with the aim of helping refugees become more self-reliant while also improving socio-economic conditions for the Zambian communities hosting them. The Government also includes integrating refugees into planning for national services, so resources for health, education, and agricultural programmes also benefit refugees.

At a time of deep cuts to global humanitarian funding, Zambia’s inclusive policies aim to help forcibly displaced people take control of their lives, be free from aid dependency and meaningfully contribute to the economy of the country and the communities hosting them.

Meheba refugee settlement, a large expanse of agricultural land, covers 684 square kilometres and is located in the mining district of Kalumbila. It has been a safe haven for displaced people since 1971. Many of them, like Musole Mufwinda, an Angolan former refugee, were born there. Musole grows vegetables such as cabbage, okra, and sweet potatoes, which he sells locally.

“I had parents who taught me that life would be better if you got into farming,” he said. “That is how I started farming. And as I sold the crops, I could see the benefit they were talking about. Last year, I successfully grew cabbages and sold the harvest. From the proceeds, I purchased a motorbike, and it is helping my family.”

A model for sustainability

To improve access to sustainable energy and increase agricultural production for both refugees and their host communities, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is working with the Zambian government to provide access to sustainable energy at all three refugee settlements in the country. UNHCR and partners like Caritas are also working with farmer cooperatives made up of refugees and host community members to set up value-addition centres in the settlements. The centres provide services such as storage, processing, packaging, and refrigeration that improve productivity and increase access to local markets, including value chains linked directly to the mining industry.

“We are currently getting fruits and vegetables from refugee [farmers],” said Priscilla, Community Relations Officer at Golden Camp Solutions, a private catering company that serves employees of Lumwana copper mine. “We are looking at a ton of cabbage a week and about 500 kilograms of tomatoes. There is no difference between a refugee [supplier] and a regular supplier.”

On a recent afternoon, Musole filled a sack with freshly harvested cabbages, loaded them onto his motorbike, and drove through the lush green fields in his neighbourhood for about five minutes, to reach one of the value-addition facilities where he put the cabbages in a solarized cold storage unit until he can take them to the local market.

“Zambia continues to lead by example – showing that when refugees are included from the onset of an emergency, the benefits are shared by all,” said Preeta Law, UNHCR’s representative in Zambia. “We see families rebuilding their lives with dignity, but we also see thriving local markets, new opportunities, and stronger food systems. In a time of constrained global funding, Zambia’s model reminds us that inclusive policies are not just the right thing to do, they are a smart, sustainable investment.”

As the sun faded into the sky after a productive day of weeding a section of her farm, Mwaka Sangwa began walking home, carrying a large hoe on her shoulder. “I feel very happy in my heart because I can support my family,” she said.

By Moulid Hujale in Meheba, North-Western Zambia

Source: UNHHCR