Zambia’s Dead End: Why Our Future Hinges on Bold Action in Energy and Agriculture

Zambia’s Dead End: Why Our Future Hinges on Bold Action in Energy and Agriculture

Let me share some of my thoughts with the country. I am doing this with the developmental agenda of the country in mind. I will focus on two thematic areas: energy and agriculture. Without decisive action, we risk squandering the opportunities that lie before us. The vision must not only be clear but also achievable, grounded in realistic goals and strategic implementation.

By S.Tembo

Energy: Beyond Short Term Solutions

Everyone is complaining about power, and it is true   we have the right to complain. We have been misruling ourselves for sixty years now. To be honest, we have had myopic leadership for many years. I will leave out Kaunda and the current leader from this. Kaunda did what he could; apart from Kafue Gorge Power Station, all power generating stations, including Maamba Collieries, were started by him. No one else has done more in terms of power generation than Kaunda. I leave out the current president because he still has a year and some months; he might just surprise us by 2026, but we will judge him then.

Complaining about the current load shedding is madness because power generation projects are capital intensive. They need money and time. However, I must state that I am annoyed no one is talking about nuclear energy when we have the basic inputs in the country. We go to the same universities in Russia as the Russians. Why is it that they have the technology while we seem to be so blank? Watching the ZESCO MD clapping when the president negotiated for him in China left me laughing. He is an engineer who should have initiated the initiative.

Therefore, stop blaming anyone for the 43 hours of load shedding. We should be generating over 12,000MW by now. The only assurance is that we will be complaining about this in ten years. You cannot dream of producing 3 million tons of copper with a bare 2,000MW of power. How are you going to industrialize?

Zambia’s ambition to industrialize is impossible without resolving this energy bottleneck. To meet our industrial and developmental targets, we need to be generating over 12,000MW. Anything less, and we will be revisiting these same frustrations ten years from now.

Agriculture: Rethinking the Approach

For over 20 years, we have been supporting the smallholder farmers with seed and fertilizer. Yet, they have marginally increased production from 0.95MT/ha in 1995 to 2MT/ha in 2022. The average productivity in the USA is around 10MT/ha. Why? We are a country of jokers. Even learned people like myself are jokers because we have become puppets to politicians. We have a dream to produce 10,000,000MT of corn. This will remain a big dream if we continue doing things the same way.

So many things are being done wrongly, and people think that by giving farmers eight bags of urea, 8 bags of D compound, and 10kg of seed, they can produce over 5MT/ha. It is not possible! Others have thought that we need to give them tractors and then we will improve productivity. Do we even realize that agriculture is a science? A plant does not need only nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and potassium for it to effectively grow. That is malnourishment of the worst kind! In fact, you can give it all the nutrition in the world, but if the pH of the soil is not right, the work done is zero nooto!

Secondly, the 400mm of rain received in Southern Province, for instance, is enough to grow any maize variety, but the question is how is it distributed? If that is the limiting factor we have found, why do we continue giving farmers seed and fertilizer for 24 years without supplemental irrigation?

It is time to accept that agriculture is a science   one that requires a deep understanding of soil health, climate conditions, and plant biology. Merely providing farmers with bags of fertilizer and seed, or even offering mechanization solutions like tractors, will not solve the problem. Plants need more than just nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium; they require a balanced array of nutrients and, critically, proper soil pH. Without addressing these scientific realities, we are effectively malnourishing our crops and setting our farmers up for failure.

The message is clear: Zambia’s development will not come from handouts or foreign aid. It will be built by Zambians, using our resources strategically and intelligently. We need to rethink our approach to both energy and agriculture, focusing on long term solutions that reflect the challenges and opportunities unique to our country. The time for half measures is over.

Change the Mindset, Change the Future

The solutions to Zambia’s problems are not external they lie within. But the most critical resource that we must tap into is not nuclear energy, fertile land, or industrial expertise   it is our mindset. We need a complete mindset shift from reliance on others to self reliance.

Without a change in mindset, even the best strategies will fail. Leaders, professionals, and the public alike must embrace the urgency of innovative thinking. It is not enough to settle for incremental improvements; we need to reimagine what is possible for Zambia. Energy independence and agricultural transformation are not dreams for the distant future   they are achievable if we prioritize bold actions, long term planning, and self sufficiency.

As we push for development, the following must become our guiding principles:

1. Stop blaming, start acting: We have wasted enough time pointing fingers. The energy and agricultural sectors need actionable solutions, not excuses. Capital intensive projects take time, but they also require visionary leadership.
2. Focus on science and innovation: Agriculture is not just about seeds and fertilizers. It is about scientific application. The same goes for energy   nuclear power, renewable energy, and innovative technologies must be explored and implemented now.
3. Leverage our local resources: We have the tools, the land, and the minerals. Let us stop depending on foreign assistance and start maximizing what we already have. Zambians will develop zambia.
4. Mindset transformation: To industrialize, we need to think big and act now. It is time to discard the small minded approach and realize that self reliance is the only sustainable way forward.

The Choice is Ours: Action or Stagnation

The future of Zambia lies not in the hands of donors or international organizations but in our collective will to change. Energy and agriculture are two of the pillars that can either support or crumble our economy, depending on what we do next. Let us not be content with survival; let us build for prosperity.

Zambia’s destiny is ours to shape let us ensure we shape it with boldness, innovation, and an unshakeable belief in our own power to succeed. The time for mindset transformation is now; the time for action is yesterday. If we do not act, we will be lamenting the same issues in another decade. The vision must be achievable, but only if we fully commit to the work ahead.

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