ZAMblog

An Exorcism In Zambia

2005-05-31T21:14:00.000+02:00

I wrote an article about a Zambian exorcism I attended and it recently won Transitions Abroad's 2006 Narrative Writing Contest. Check it out!

Blue Wildebeest

2005-03-29T15:01:00.000+02:00

In Liuwa Plains National Park, you can see the blue wildebeest.

"Driven by their need for water and their partiality for fresh, sprouting grass, blue wildebeest have an amazing ability to track down a rainstorm - even if it is many kilometres away. Sometimes in herds of thousands, they will follow the sound of thunder, or perhaps the sight of rain clouds, until they reach the freshly fallen rain."

They migrate into Zambia annually, towards the end of the year.

16 Day Southern Sail-A-Way Overland Tour: Zambia to Johannesburg

2005-03-24T19:03:00.000+02:00

OK, so only 2 of the Sail-A-Way's 16 days are in Zambia, but it sounds like an awesome time. I'm not a big fan of overland trips, generally, but I must admit:

I have been on one (in Namibia), and it was fun.
I have spoken to others who have been on month-long (and longer) Overland trips, and they loved them.
Overland vehicles are among the awesomest things on the planet. I don't need one in South Florida, but if I move back to Africa one day . . .

If you have extra time, maybe you can do the "24 day Tropical Trek from Zambia to Malawi & Mozambique."

Zambia Goodies

2005-03-24T17:53:00.000+02:00

Technocrati shows all kinds of (Creative Commons) goodies from the web about Zambia.

POP Goes Africa

2005-03-24T17:04:00.000+02:00

According to a population factsheet published bythe Population Reference Bureau:

The top 15 HIV/AIDS Prevalence Countries, at the end 0f 2003, are all in Africa (Zambia is 7th). Haiti is the top-ranked, non-African country.
"Developing countries will far outpace developed countries in population growth because of a young age structure as well as higher birth rates." (Sub-Saharan Africa shows a ratio of children aged 15 and under to those over 65 of 44:3). How will this affect politics, the economy, hegemony, etc.?
Zambia's "total fertility rate" -- the average number of children born to a woman during her lifetime -- is 5.6. (Much of Eastern Europe posts rates of around 1.2; Afghanistan is 6.8; Somalia is 7.1).

I Wish It Were "Cash"

2005-03-24T16:32:00.000+02:00

And while we're talking about GPS in Zambia, you can always participate in a Zambian geocache:

"The basic idea is to have individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and share the locations of these caches on the internet. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a wide variety of rewards. All the visitor is asked to do is if they get something they should try to leave something for the cache."

As of today, there is only 1 cache in Zambia.

1 incomplete, 7 visited, 62 total

2005-03-24T16:24:00.000+02:00

The goal of the Degree Confluence project is "to visit each of the latitude and longitude integer degree intersections in the world, and to take pictures at each location. The pictures and stories will then be posted here." Here's an excerpt from the first people who, uh, confluenced in Zambia:

"Being equipped with a GPS (Garmin 45), map and compass, we realized that pretty close to the street between Mazabouka and Kafue there is the Confluence 16S 28E. We planned to find the point on our way from Livingstone to Kafue on June 18th."

Their pictures are interesting. This sounds like a great, albeit somewhat geeky, project. I wish I were in Zambia with a GPS; I'd help!

Naah . . .Let's Just Go Home

2005-03-24T16:14:00.000+02:00

Zambia has closed a refugee camp in the eastern part of the country after refugees, mainly from neighbouring Angola, opted to return home. There are still a lot (55,000 - 300,000) of refugees in Zambia.

Zambia has had problems with Angolan refugees in the past.

Mutemwa Lodge

2005-03-23T16:44:00.000+02:00

Mutemwa Lodge -- owned by former Springboker Gavin Johnson -- is located in Zambia's western province, near Sioma Ngwezi National Park and Liuwe Plains National Park. The camp is relatively isolated; "Mutemwa" translates as "you are cut off."

The Lodge offers guided bird watching, wildlife walks, angling, sunset cruises, and visits to local scenic spots. However, the most interesting thing they provide is a cultural experience with the Lozi tribe during The Ku-omboka Ceremony.

The name means "to get out of the water onto dry ground." Every year towards the end of the rainy season as the flood plain of the upper Zambezi valley rises, the Lozi king makes a ceremonial move to higher ground. The drums signal to his people, they pack their belongings into canoes and the whole tribe leaves en masse.

The chief in his barge with his family and a troop of traditionally dressed paddlers take the lead. It takes about six hours to cover the distance between the dry season capital Lealui, and the wet season capital Limulunga. There the successful move is celebrated with traditional singing and dancing.

This ceremony dates back more than 300 years when the Lozi people broke away from the great Lunda Empire to settle in the upper regions of the Zambezi. The vast plains with abundant fish were ideal for settlement but the annual floods could not be checked, so each year they move to higher ground until the rainy season passes.

Traditional ceremonies are vanishing throughout the world. Take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity before it's too late!

Headed For The Maize Maze

2005-03-23T15:29:00.000+02:00

In the past, Zambia has endured droughts and been forced to import maize. Last year, however, Zambia produced a surplus of maize, which it exported to neighboring countries. This year -- although forecasts had predicted plentiful rainfall for the 2004-2005 growing season -- it appears that erratic rainfall will force Zambia to import at least 300,000 tons of maize to avert a food shortfall.

According to Agriculture Minister Mundia Sikatana: "This scanty rainfall has happened as a complete opposite to the weather bureau forecast." Ironically, rainfall in some parts of the country has led to flooding and the collapse of housing.

Stanley Ndhlovu, disaster management coordinator with the Zambia Red Cross Society, claims: "We found 40 to 80 percent crop failure in five provinces . . . [and] We found 100 percent crop failure in the southern province, where we could not even find green maize on the plants."

Where's The Faucet?

2005-03-22T23:37:00.000+02:00

Here are some excellent photos dealing with the subject of Zambia and water.

Aren't you glad you don't collect your drinking water this way?
Or have to use this well-water to wash your dishes?
Or have to deal with someone locking the faucet?
Or have to wash your clothes here?

Sing It Loud

2005-03-22T23:26:00.000+02:00

Song heard in Zambia:

"AIDS is a terrible pandemic!
We little children are suffering!
Our mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers are dying.
We hate it! We hate it! We hate it!
AIDS - you are a deadly disease, you killed my grandma and grandpa,
now you are trying to kill my parents.
We hate it! Oh yes we do!"

For Teachers

2005-03-22T23:18:00.000+02:00

Here are some (lengthy but quality) teaching materials from UNESCO:

Towards Better Programming. A Sanitation Handbook
This handbook has been prepared for working groups of professionals to use in planning realistic and better quality sanitation programmes.
Towards Better Programming. A Manual on Hygiene Promotion
The objective of the manual is to provide a tool that will contribute towards a reduction in diarrhoeal diseases - one of the top three killer diseases in developing countries - and thus a reduction in child mortality.

Jack & Jill . . .

2005-03-22T22:56:00.000+02:00

There are several good posters at wssc.org, including this one:

Does it matter that it doesn't rhyme?

Sanitation Myths

2005-03-22T21:56:00.000+02:00

The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council identify (and debunk) 5 myths concerning the lack of progress towards water/sanitation improvements:

The problem is shortage of water
The problem is that governments don’t have the money
The problem is that people are too poor to pay
The problem is lack of technology
The problem is rapid population growth, especially in cities

The Council also argues that childhood malnutrition is the best indicator of hygiene:

"Except in extreme circumstances, child malnutrition has little to do with food availability and everything to do with good hygiene, good sanitation, and good water supply. Frequent illnesses, especially diarrhoea, are what undermine a child’s growth. Disease takes away appetite, inhibits the absorption of nutrients, burns up calories in fever and fighting infection, and drains away nutrients in vomiting and diarrhoea."

Zambia is ranked in the "Very Dangerous" column (25% malnutrition rates). Among developing countries, Chile and Armenia are tops (0.8% and 2.5%). Afghanistan and Korea are last (48% and 60%).

Scary Water Facts

2005-03-22T21:43:00.000+02:00

The Water Supply & Sanitation Collaborative Council has some startling facts on its website, including:

200 million people in the world are infected with schistosomiasis, of whom 20 million suffer severe consequences. The disease is still found in 74 countries of the world. Scientific studies show that a 77% reduction of incidence from the disease was achieved through well designed water and sanitation interventions.
The average distance that women in Africa and Asia walk to collect water is 6 km.
The weight of water that women in Africa and Asia carry on their heads is the equivalent of your airport luggage allowance (20kg).
In Zambia, one in five children die before their fifth birthday. In contrast in the UK fewer than 1% of children die before they reach the age of five.
One gramme of faeces can contain:10,000,000 Viruses, 1,000,000 bacteria, 1,000 parasite cysts, 100 parasite eggs.

Egads, man! Let's wash up now!

Kafue Flats

2005-03-22T21:17:00.000+02:00

Kafue Flats are the vast, open floodplain of the Kafue River, covering some 6,500 square-km within the wider basin of the Zambezi River. The WWF is active in this area.

Close to 700,000 people live in this region and most earn their living from fishing, cattle grazing, sugarcane farming, and production of hydroelectric power.

On the south-eastern side of Kafue Flats, near the town of Mazabuka, there are several sugarcane farms, each of which cultivates huge areas of land. These farms produce the majority of Zambia’s sugar for local use and export. Each farm relies heavily on water from the Kafue River for irrigation.

In general, WWF’s main goal in Kafue Flats is to persuade traditionally non-conservation oriented stakeholders to integrate the concept of ‘wise use’ of wetlands, including nature conservation, into their own business/livelihood activities.

Evapotranspiration

2005-03-22T18:53:00.000+02:00

Another great UNESCO teaching guide, "The Water Cycle," indicates:

Water evaporates from bare soil just like it does from puddles, lakes and seas. Plants take in water through their roots and lose it through their leaves. This is called transpiration. The two processes together, e.g., from a forest or a field of crops, are called evapotranspiration.
A forest can put between 20 and 50 tons of water vapour into the air per hectare per day. Each year 150,000 km2 of rainforest are cut down (more than the area of Bangladesh).

Therefore, deforestation isn't just bad in terms of soil erosion. It's also dangerous in terms of the water table, and has potentially devastating "downstream" consequences, as well. (In other words, clear-cutting a forest doesn't just hurt me; it huts my neighbors, too.)

Turn Off The Tap

2005-03-22T18:00:00.000+02:00

About 5% of world consumption of water is domestic, 75% is used for irrigation and the remaining 20% in industry. The average person in a highly industrialized nation uses up to 70 times more water than an average person from a developing country.

UNESCO created an excellent "Managing Water Sources" teaching manual that has some intersting facts about water consumption (in liters per day) around the world:

North America -- 200-300
Europe -- 100-150
"Developing Countries" -- 5-50

When I lived in Zambia, I used 5 gallons (20 liters) of water/day for washing (dishes, hands, house, body) and for drinking and cooking. Washing clothes used extra water.

A Simple Filter

2005-03-22T17:22:00.000+02:00

In the past, Zambia has faced school closings as a result of a lack of sanitary facilities. With over a third of its population without access to safe drinking water, it is clear that many Zambians are struggling to manage this precious resource.

UNESCO offers a simple technology for filtering water at schools. A Packed Drum Filter essentially allows water to percolate down through layers of sand and gravel -- to remove any turbidity (think: cloudiness) -- into a reservoir. The water in the reservoir is then treated with a chlorine mixture to sanitize it. After that, it's ready to drink.

Finding a drum -- even in rural Africa -- shouldn't be too challenging, and chlorine is cheap (it's subsidized). Until such time as community can construct an adequate well for itself, the Packed Drum Filter is a viable alternative.

Quote of the Month

2005-03-22T16:04:00.000+02:00

According to Koïchiro Matsuura, UNESCO Director General:

'We no longer have a choice. Either humanity adapts its behaviour to support sustainable development, meaning it ceases to pollute the environment, allows the renewal of natural resources and contributes to improve everybody's well-being, or it signs its own, more or less imminent, death sentence. Education plays a crucial role in training citizens. However, it is not always suited to the needs of future societies, both in developed and in developing countries. Environmental and cultural heritage education, for instance, does not always have the place it deserves in school curricula, and the links between culture and the sciences are not adequately emphasized.'

24 February 2005

World Water Day

2005-03-22T15:50:00.000+02:00

An estimated 36% of Zambians live without access to an improved water source. (And by "improved," I mean a water source as basic as a well.)

Today is World Water Day 2005, and the theme of the day is: International Decade for Action, 'Water for Life'. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2002:

1.1 billion people lacked access to improved water sources
2.6 billion people lacked access to basic sanitation
approximately 1.8 million people die every year from diarrhoeal disease, 90% of them children under the age of five.

The theme of World Water Day 2005 and the Decade emphasizes the central role water plays in sustaining human life. Water is critical for human well-being, environmental health, biodiversity, energy generation, industrial development, food production, and it plays an essential role in many cultures and religions.

Changing Money

2005-03-21T16:36:00.000+02:00

In Zambia, the most reliable place to change money is (usually) a bank, a bureau de change, or a large hotel. These places will probably not rip you off; they'll provide a receipt; and they'll have cash on-hand. Also, they'll be able to change both cash and traveler's cheques. (I have had banks refuse to exchange TC's for me, because I left the receipt -- the one you're supposed to keep separate from the cheques -- in the hotel.) Of course, banks, hotels, and bureaus will probably give you the poorest exchange rate.

If you want to trade on the street, there are plenty of maney-changers trading on the black market. However, a few tips:

Never change money with a group. They will perform a sleight-of-hand trick.
If there is a group, separate them. Say: "I'll trade, but only with one guy."
Ask at independent hotels where the best place to change money is. Often, it's in the office.
Ask other travelers where they exchanged money.
If you're changing money with a stranger for the first time, it's better to change a small amount. Subsequent exchanges can result in larger denominations.
Remember: 1 "pin" = "1000 kwacha."

Also: if it doesn't feel right, walk away.

Should Traditional Healers Be Included?

2005-03-21T15:44:00.000+02:00

Late last year, Zambia's traditional healers called on government to integrate their "folk" remedies with modern medicine.

Now, the Science and Development Network reports that "traditional healers and lawyers are joining forces with scientists in Zambia to help draft a national policy for protecting indigenous knowledge and genetic resources."

This is probably a good idea. However, I know a traditional healer that stubbornly refused to send his sick 8-year-old daughter to the hospital. Instead, he insisted he could cure her. She quickly died. Incorporating traditional healers in the search for cures for diseases like HIV/AIDS and TB is important, but sometimes their unwavering fanaticism makes them ineffective. It's important they remember their solution is not the only one (and may not be the right one).

I Quit! (Or Will I?)

2005-03-21T15:34:00.000+02:00

Unfortunately, I've had the opportunity to make posts about corruption in Zambia, including some surrounding Chiluba's mounting problems. Happily, this one is slightly different.

Zambians vote for the President AND the Vice-President; they don't come as a package, like in the U.S. South Africa's Mail & Guardian reports that President Mwanawasa has warned people not to vote for candidates who have been using bribery to win votes. Consequently, Zambia's Vice-President, Lupando Mwape, is threatening to quit his party over alleged acts of corruption and bribery to win votes ahead of the ruling party's convention. Evidently, he wants to be seen as "clean" in the upcoming political race.

How's The Weather Up There?

2005-03-17T21:17:00.000+02:00

Here are 5 interesting facts about Africa's giraffes, according to Wikipedia:

The "Giraffe" is related to deer and cattle, but placed in a separate family, the Giraffidae, consisting only of the Giraffe and its closest relative, the Okapi.
A Giraffe's heart can weigh up to 24 pounds.
The mother gives birth standing up and the embryonic sack actually bursts when the baby falls to the ground.
A giraffe can eat 63 kilograms (140 pounds) of leaves and twigs daily.
Giraffes are thought to be mute. However, recent research has shown evidence that the animal communicates at an infrasound level with a surprising level of complexity.

Wikipedia fails to mention that giraffes sleep with their legs folded under them in a seated position, with their heads in the air. I saw it with my own eyes.

The Thigh's The Thing

2005-03-17T20:40:00.000+02:00

In Zambia, women never show their thighs. Zambians believe that thighs drive a man wild. A young woman can have her boobs hanging out of her shirt -- no problem -- but if her skirt snags and reveals some thigh: watch out!

Consequently, the chitenge is one of the most important items in the home of a rural Zambian. Essentially, a chitenge is a 3 foot by 6 foot piece of cloth that women wrap around their skirts to ensure that no thigh is exposed.

Of course, considering the poverty of many Zambians, chitenges serve many purposes. Jamie Baldwin is a BBC reporter who volunteered in Zambia for a while. He discusses several important uses for the chitenge. To his thoughtful list, I might add:

towel (beach or bath)
wall-/window-covering
sun visor/impromptu roof when traveling in a vehicle
bedspread/pillow
tablecloth

Jamie has several interesting posts about Zambia, including one about international NGOs and one where he puts a face on HIV/AIDS.

Say Cheese

2005-03-17T16:16:00.000+02:00

I've been on safaris in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa. I have hundreds of photos of animal butts, boring landscapes, birds escaping, or out-of-focus flowers. I have about 10 pictures I consider "good."

There are several things to know when going on safari -- among the most important is how to shoot quality pictures. Outside Magazine offers a primer on how to make the most of your photographic efforts.

Exotic Tropicals

2005-03-17T00:03:00.000+02:00

If you're into exotic tropical cichlids -- i.e., pretty, little, colored fish -- swim over to fishhead.com. They've got some terrific photos of the Zambian variety.

Sunflower Seeds

2005-03-16T23:53:00.000+02:00

One of Africare's most successful projects to date has been a manual press used to extract cooking oil from sunflower seeds. I've seen these work, and they produce good oil -- although many of my friends didn't like the flavor -- but it takes a lot of seeds.

Interestingly, the FAO notes that in 1996, Zambia imported 5500 Mt of sunflower oil. In 2003, they imported only 2223 Mt. Coincidence?

A Big Rift

2005-03-16T23:17:00.000+02:00

Zambia is in the middle of the Africa's Great Rift Valley.

According to Encyclopedia.com, the valley extends roughly 3,000 miles from Syria to Mozambique. The main section of the valley in Africa crosses Ethiopia and heads south across Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi to the lower Zambezi River valley in Mozambique. The Valley ranges in elevation from 1,300 feet below sea level (at the Dead Sea) to 6,000 feet above sea level in Southern Kenya. Erosion has concealed some sections, but in places, notably in Kenya, there are sheer cliffs several thousand feet high.

Ellie Xing

2005-03-16T22:35:00.000+02:00

A great roadsign. Only in Zambia.

Tuskless!

2005-03-16T19:59:00.000+02:00

The BBC reports that elephants are increasingly losing their tusks as a rapid evolutionary response to escape slaughter by ruthless and resourceful poachers who kill elephants for their ivory. Researchers Mark and Delia Owens -- who must have the world's greatest jobs! --recorded an unusual number of such elephants in 1997 while carrying out research in Zambia's North Luangwa National Park. In a very interesting essay, they write:

Our research indicates that more than 38% of Luangwa elephants carry no tusks. Other researchers have reported that in natural, unstressed populations, only 2% of the animals are tuskless.

Zambia wants to change the protective status of its elephant population. The reult will, no doubt, be widespread slaughter or man-made evolutionary resposes to the inevitable poaching. If you want to discourage Zambia from changing the status of elephants, visit the Humane Society's online petition to save the elephants.

See Northern Zambia

2005-03-16T19:40:00.000+02:00

Vacationtechnician has a great write-up about Northern Zambia, an under-visited part of the country. In Northern Province, there are numerous lakes boasting great fishing and diving -- including Lake Tanganyika, the world's second-deepest freshwater lake. There is a huge swamp fed by 17 rivers -- part of the basin forming Lake Bangweulu -- offering birdwatching and other game-viewing, including the Shoebill Stork (an ugly bird resembling the extinct dodo).

The area is also home to 10 water falls and 6 Game Parks. Of these, the best is Kasanka, a private trust, featuring beautiful, eco-friendly accomodation, 12 km outside the park.

Don't Slaughter The Elephants!

2005-03-16T18:51:00.000+02:00

According to the Humane Society of the US, in November:

Zambia will propose that its elephant population be downlisted from Appendix I, the category that covers species who may not be traded internationally, to Appendix II, the category that covers species whose international trade is legal but "regulated." Elephants in Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe have already been downlisted to Appendix II.

Arguably, there is no such thing as a "regulated trade in ivory." The last time the ivory trade was "regulated," the result was widespread poaching, and hundreds of thousands of elephants were slaughtered.

If you feel elephants should not be slaughtered so that people can wear ivory, please sign the petition to the Zambian President at gopetition.com.

Fences: For Cows or People?

2005-03-16T17:29:00.000+02:00

Zimbabwe holds general elections on March 31. There is some concern that illegal Zimbabwean immigrants, fleeing the economic ruin of their homeland, will try to cross into Botswana at that time.

However, Botswana -- with the assistance of the EU -- has constructed a 500 kilometer-long, 220-volt fence "to prevent cattle infected with foot-and-mouth disease in Zimbabwe from crossing into Botswana." The government has denied that the fence also aims to keep out Zimbabweans. Currently, the fence is switched off; it'll be tough to argue that the fence doesn't serve this dual purpose if it's switched on at the end of the month.

Of course, illegal Zimbabweans might also try to sneak into Zambia, but Zambia doesn't provide as many economic opportunities as Botswana, which is an economic powerhouse in the region.

Tobacco Farmers Bring Problems?

2005-03-16T17:04:00.000+02:00

A number of white farmers have fled Zimbabwe in recent years, to escape persecution by the Mugabe government. Many of them fled to Zambia and started growing tobacco. Consequently, tobacco production in Zambia has skyrocketed. This has contributed to Zambia's GDP -- and created new jobs, as well -- but it has also had some negative effects. According to South Africa's Star:

Many Zambians say they welcome the new jobs and increased food production, but some tensions remain. "If the land is taken by foreigners then the same thing that happened in Zimbabwe might happen here," said Gilbert Chona, a teacher in Livingstone, southern Zambia. The white farmers would alienate locals if they put up electric fences and denied subsistence farmers and villagers access to the nearby Zambezi River, he said. "They have started doing that already," he said. "There have been some small riots."

Hopefully, Zambia will not make the same mistakes as her southern neighbor.

She's Just Too Wet

2005-03-16T16:02:00.000+02:00

I mentioned that comparing a Zambian woman to the Chambeshi River is akin to calling her a slut (they're both "too wet.") Apparently, the real Chambeshi is living up to its potential and flooding Northern Province.

This is ironic, of course, because erratic rainfall in other parts of the country threatens to leave many people without food this year.

Chiluba Faces More Woes

2005-03-16T15:49:00.000+02:00

When it comes to his corruption charges, Chiluba has had his ups and downs.

Now, it seems Zambia is bringing another suit against the former president, charging he -- in conjunction with Congolese businessman, Katebe Katoto -- siphoned off more than $34 million earmarked for the purchase of arms for the country.

Crocs Kill 3

2005-03-16T00:01:00.000+02:00

Crocodiles killed 3 people this week in Luapula Province.

Real Estate Boom in Zambia

2005-03-15T21:49:00.000+02:00

Traditionally, property in Zambia is owned by Government and land is vested in the President. "Private Ownership" of land takes effect only through renewable 99- to 999-year leaseholds. (Land was seen as a gift of God and should not be sold.)

However, according to Augustine Mulolwa of the University of Zambia's Department of Surveying, "the privatization of government enterprises, the sale of government houses, and an apparent awakening by Zambians to own property" has led to the actual sale of land.

Consequently, as South African companies set up shop in the region, they drive up the prices of commercial and residential real estate, thus sparking a regional property boom throughout southern Africa.

Cassava

2005-03-15T16:15:00.000+02:00

Cassava is a hardy, drought-resistant, edible root grown throughout the world. Americans are probably unfamiliar with this tuber, except that it is an ingredient in tapioca.

Cassava propogates easily, grows in poor soils, is protein-rich, and is a versatile ingredient in a variety of foods (including beer) and non-food items (like glue).

There are several new varieties that are not GM but are hardier than the older varieties. These improved varieties of cassava produce foodstocks on the order of 7 times that of maize. For that reason, Zambia has been pushing farmers to experiment with cassava in recent years. Many agronomists think cassava is the answer to many country's food security concerns as well as a lucrative cash crop.

We're Number One!

2005-03-15T15:07:00.000+02:00

Zambia has recently attempted to position itself as a premier tourist destination. This week, the world tourism body ranked Zambia as Africa's number one tourism destination among emerging countries.

Sengalia Farms

2005-03-11T16:37:00.000+02:00

There are a lot of great Zambia photos on Flickr. Here's one of my favorites -- from a guy named flixz -- of a placed I passed about once a month. Fun day, huh?

box3-1-9
Originally uploaded by flixz.

Zambian Porn

2005-03-10T23:33:00.000+02:00

David Chirwa is a Zambian artist whose recent installation examines the way pornography affects Zambian culure. “Before I came here [to England] I would be visiting the Internet cafes in Zambia and I was amazed to find lots of pornographic pop-ups on my computer,” explains Chirwa.

Incidentally, porn is illegal in Zambia. Nevertheless, I often saw men with so-called "blue magazines." Also, there was a movie theater in Lusaka that played X-rated movies.

CO2 Isn't Just From Smokestacks

2005-03-10T19:39:00.000+02:00

Greenhouse Gas Online says:

"It is estimated that man-made changes in land-use have, until now, produced a cumulative global loss of carbon from the land of about 200 thousand million tonnes. Widespread deforestation has been the main source of this loss, estimated to be responsible for nearly 90 percent of losses since the mid-nineteenth century. Losses primarily occur due to the relatively long term carbon sinks of forests being replaced by agricultural land."

Meanwhile, EarthTrends claims Zambia has the second highest Cumulative Emissions from Land-Use Change in sub-Saharan Africa (at 6697 million metric tons), second only to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. That's a lot of deforestation without much being done to repair the problem.

Organic Farming Is Small

2005-03-10T19:25:00.000+02:00

According to EarthTrends, the percentage of agricultural land under organic management in Zambia is only 0.06% of available hectares. For comparative purposes, here are a few other numbers:

Malawi -- 0.01%
South Africa -- 0.05%
United States -- 0.23%

Zambia Spells GMO As GM-No!

2005-03-10T19:12:00.000+02:00

For years, Zambia has been at the forefront of a controversy surrounding genetically-modified foods. The US has insisted repeatedly that the best way for the world to solve hunger problems is to import GM-foods and plant GM-crops. Nevertheless, Zambia has refused, essentially citing food security issues.

Sojourners recently published an articulate essay dissecting the political, economic, and ethical struggle to resist the imposition of GMO technology into Zambian agriculture.

Smokin'!

2005-03-10T15:57:00.000+02:00

In the past 5 years, many Zimbabwean farmers have fled their country and settled in Zambia. As a result, Zambia's tobacco production has increased nearly 10-fold.

Jewette Masinja, Executive Director of the Tobacco Association of Zambia, claims Zambia is set to harvest more than 52 million kg of the golden leaf, nearly double their earlier forecast.

According to Zimbabwe's Daily News, Masinja said Zambia was set to earn US$83 million from the sale of the crop, up from US$26 million last year.

I'll Trade Your Rhodesia For My Nyaasaland

2005-03-10T15:31:00.000+02:00

Tobacco companies invented trading cards and baseball cards, which used to be known, simply, as cigarette cards. The NYPL Digital Gallery has cigarette cards for Rhodesia, featuring the arms of the British Empire. The verso of the card describes the image on the front.

It's hard to imagine British kids trading cigarette cards of the Dark Continent. But I guess there were no Gameboys then.

Meet Sylvers!

2005-03-09T23:18:00.000+02:00

Farmingsolutions.org is an interesting website that discusses various sustainable farming techniques. There's an interesting article on Sylvers Katunta, a Zambian farmer who realized substantially increased yields using some of the techniques on the site, including:

homemade compost;
intercropping techniques; and,
alternative plowing methods.

It's an easy read, has good photos, and is somewhat informative.

For more detailed descriptions of how to make your own compost, intercropping techniques, and alternative plowing methods, though, you might need to go elsewhere.

Free Basic Education: A Rock And A Hard Place?

2005-03-09T22:52:00.000+02:00

In Zambia, an estimated 40% of rural women are illiterate. Government removed tuition fees for basic school 2 years ago; since then, the number of out-of-school children has halved, and completion rates have risen, according to Oxfam, which claims this achievement is especially important because "schools are the frontline in Zambia’s battle to slow the spread of AIDS."

But ironically -- in part, due to the success of Free Basic Education -- Zambia’s schools have been left short of some 9000 teachers. The vacancies have not been filled – because the IMF says Government can not afford to hire the teachers it has trained. According to Oxfam, "between 8000 and 9000 newly qualified teachers have been sitting unemployed."

Oxfam makes 6 key recommendations to the IMF, including cancelling "100% of the multilateral debt of the poorest countries." Oxfam's criticism of the IMF complements Action Aid's & Oxfam's recent attacks on the larger international community.

Lake Bangweulu

2005-03-09T15:35:00.000+02:00

The New York Public Library has gobs of digital images online. It's great.

One excellent image, "The traveller Giraud amid the reeds of Lake Bangweolo," by Elisee Reclus, depicts several Africans (and what appears to be a single European) traveling by boat through a swamp. The surrounding reeds are four times the size of the men.

It's an interesting illustration, because it sheds light on what Europeans must've thought about Africa at the time (1892). It's no wonder Africa was called the Dark Continent; after all, it was a mysterious, foreboding, almost supernatural place.

We're Here To Pump . . . YOUR Water!

2005-03-08T23:15:00.000+02:00

Many Zambian farmers irrigate their fields using a bucket. This means they have to make hundreds of trips from the river (dambo) to their gardens, potentially an all-day affair. According to The Times, International Development Enterprises has started promoting the treadle pump. Available for years, the low-cost irrigation technology for smallholder farmers is becoming increasingly popular, mainly because it is up to 5 times as efficient as the bucket technique.

IDE suggests the pump, at $9, is "accessible to even very poor farmers." Well, yes, at that price the pump is accessible. However, when you factor in the tubing (an additional $25 - $50), we're talking about almost an entire year's income for a typical rural farmer.

Treadle pumps are highly efficient, but considering most farms are not immediately adjacent to a dambo and don't have access to half-a-year's-salary, treadle pumps are still the Corvettes of the subsistence farmer.

Somebody's Not Going To Be Happy (Or, Guess Dad Was Right After All)

2005-03-08T22:32:00.000+02:00

A recent ActionAid International/Oxfam International Paper skewers the international donor community (especially Italy and the US). Some of their most damning points:

Less than half of aid gets spent in the poorest countries, and only 10% is spent on basic services that are critical to achieving the Millennium Development Goals;
40% of aid is tied to overpriced goods and services from the donors’ own countries;
80 official agencies are responsible for 35,000 aid transactions a year that are imposing a massive administrative burden on some of the poorest countries;
Aid conditions continue to impose donor blueprints, such as trade liberalisation and privatisation of essential services, with often devastating results for poor people.

In brief, ActionAid/Oxfam argue in favor of:
1. Making Aid Accountable
2. Making Aid Effective
3. Reforming Aid Architecture

It's an interesting, vitriolic, easy read (at only 11 pages long). Check it out.

Just Fund It!

2005-03-08T19:32:00.000+02:00

The Nike Foundation seeks to reduce poverty and gender inequality in the developing world.

Today, in celebration of International Woman's Day, the Nike Foundation announced its support for projects "that combine innovation with tested models that inspire and mobilize support for girls' empowerment and well-being through increased economic and social opportunities." Huh? In other words, the Foundation will promote girl's education, support local women's groups, and provide women with microloans.

According to CSR Wire, last year, Nike contributed "$37.3 million in cash, product and in-kind services." Currently, projects totaling more than $5 million have already been selected for countries the Foundation has identified as having the greatest need, including Zambia.

Kudos for Nike for doing something good for somebody else. Excuse my cynicsm, but is it corporate magnanimity or a way to atone for past sins?

Sorry, Dad, But It's Time To Go

2005-03-08T18:35:00.000+02:00

According to The Post, a medical doctor revealed that women ditch him for refusing their demand that he abandons his 102-year-old father. I guess his refusals are better than the alternative . . .

This is a crazy story, not the least of which is that while the father is 102, the son is only 32.

Miss Manners, Zambia-Style

2005-03-08T15:55:00.001+02:00

Of course, all cultures have their own idiosyncracies, and Zambians are no different. If you get the chance to go to Zambia, there are a couple things you might want to think about. The Zambian has a great list of 14 things to keep in mind when in Zambia. For example:

After greetings have been exchanged and you are just socializing, it's considered normal for a guest and host to sit quietly without any conversation for while. That silence may be torture to a Westerner but most Zambians find it normal. So don't try to fill empty silent moments by just saying something because you are feeling uneasy or bored. For example, in the rural areas, greetings take time as host and guest have to exchange malonje after first greeting each other. Malonje is the traditional custom in which the guest describes in detail the purpose of their trip and the host responds and describes in detail the state of the family health and what every member of the family may be doing. It also takes hours to cook a chicken because it has to be chased and slaughtered before the meal is cooked. Take your time and be patient.

This advice can be very difficult to follow for an anxious Westerner.

How Did That Happen?

2005-03-07T17:56:00.000+02:00

As recently as January, the outlook for Zambia's 2005's crop production was looking good. Senior officials were predicting they would earn substantial revenues by exporting crops to needy countries in the region.

However, recent erratic rainfalls have threatened this possibility. Now, despite the earlier hoopla, it seems the Zambian government has suspended the export of maize because the country is expecting a poor harvest, a senior official told IRIN.

Of course, predicting rainfall is a crapshoot, but how were earlier forecasts so far off?

Bono Seen on Short List For World Bank Chief

2005-03-07T15:50:00.000+02:00

The World Bank’s mission is to fight poverty and improve the living standards of people in the developing world. The current head of the Bank, James Wolfensohn, is stepping down on June 1.

American Treasury Secretary John Snow said on Sunday that he would not rule out the idea of Irish singer Bono, an activist on debt relief and AIDS, making the short list of potential candidates to lead the World Bank.

Starbucks to the Rescue

2005-03-07T15:24:00.000+02:00

Coffee is second to oil on the world market in terms of foreign exchange earnings. The potential for coffee to provide for the well-being of Africans is tremendous. However, at the recent coffee growers convention in Livingstone, Mwanawasa blamed the decline of the commodity's production in Zambia on HIV/AIDS. "It is well known that the HIV/AIDS pandemic is slowing down productivity. The threat to sustainable coffee production will be bigger if HIV/AIDS is not urgently controlled," he said. In a country where life expectancy is less than 34 years and an estimated 1 in 5 adults has HIV/AIDS, having an available work force is a management nightmare.

Nevertheless, Starbucks, the world's largest coffee retailer, announced at the coffee convention that it would increase its coffee purchases from Africa in the coming years. According to Reuters, "Increased purchases from Africa . . . reflected growing demand for Starbucks’ Cafe practices certified coffee and its desire to see more cash in farmers’ pockets." Corporate magnanimity? Or reflective of the fact that Starbucks wants to add an additional 1500 stores worldwide in 2005?

There's No Place Like Home

2005-03-03T23:34:00.000+02:00

Recently, the refugee situation in Zambia has been desperate.

Currently, Zambia hosts an estimated 55,000 Congolese refugees, most of whom fled the country at the height of civil strife in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2000. As Zambia prepares to repatriate the last of the Angolan refugees on its soil by the end of 2005, the fate of thousands of Congolese refugees, sheltered in camps throughout the country, remains unclear.

My, What Big Teeth You Have

2005-03-03T20:49:00.000+02:00

Over 100 people have been bitten by rabid dogs in Chavuma district. (According to the CDC, rabies is "a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal.")

This Week, Coffee Is Hot!

2005-03-03T20:37:00.000+02:00

Following up on a recent posting about Zambia's Coffee Grower's Association, it seems an international coffee exhibition is taking place in Livingstone this week. According to the Times of Zambia, there are 75 large-scale and 520 small-scale farmers growing coffee who fall under the control of the Zambia Coffee Growers Association. The article makes 2 interesting points:

Coffee is second to oil on the world market and earning foreign exchange
By January this year, world coffee exports reached 7. 3 billion bags, an increase of 13% over last year

President Mwanawasa has been encouraging small-scale farmers to grow a variety of crops, including coffee, to supplement their incomes.

Papayas Give a Boost

2005-03-03T17:31:00.000+02:00

I've been a fan of the papaya for a long time. I ate hundreds of them -- and grew and planted dozens of trees -- when I was in Zambia.

I've known for a while that the papya is good for you (serving as a natural way to soothe a stomach-ache, and possibly as an anti-malarial). It also turns out that the papaya is one of several fruits considered an "immune booster" and useful for people suffering from HIV/AIDS.

Eat one this weekend!

More Bad Traffic(k)

2005-03-02T23:29:00.000+02:00

Zambia's Drug Enforcement Commission claims marijuana seizures are down from 182 tons in 2003 to 108 tons last year. However, according to the UN,

"a decade ago, Zambia was a mere transit point for illicit drugs destined for nearby South Africa. Today, it is a gateway and distribution center for drugs going to Europe and North America. Fueled by rapid urbanization and economic hardships, drug trafficking has increased substantially, luring some Zambians in search of quick money. The country's Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) says trafficking has multiplied more than a thousand times over the past seven years."

Increasingly, Zambians are arrested for trafficking; 80% of the Zambians arrested abroad in 1996 and 75 per cent of those arrested in 1997 were women.

Investing Elsewhere? Invest Here.

2005-03-02T22:28:00.000+02:00

World Bank Private Sector Development specialist, Gerald Meyerman, said that 37% of Africa's wealth is invested outside the continent. He challenged Africans to bring back to Africa their investments from London and the USA.

In 2004, 4 of the top 10 stock markets in the world were from Africa. In that year, Zambia's stock market offered a 77% return.

They Can't Be THAT Annoying!

2005-03-02T20:22:00.000+02:00

Zambia's relationship with witchraft has long fascinated me. I've blogged about witchcraft before, as well as a Zambian exorcism I participated in myself.

However, there seems to be a recent trend in the country concerning the killing of suspected witches, particularly those "witches" who are elderly.

It seems it's happened again: according to Xinhua News Agency, three Zambian men between 45 and 60 years old have been shot dead by unknown gunmen in separate incidents in Nakonde district, Northern Province, for suspected witchcraft.

India Extends An Offer

2005-03-02T19:08:00.000+02:00

In a major push towards Africa, many Indian civic and business leaders are hosting a three-day symposium in New Delhi in which 25 western and southern African countries (including Zambia) will discuss ways of partnering with India for their development needs. According to the New Kerala, these countries look to India as a source for technology, expertise and manpower training.

As the U.S. outsources to India, India trains Africans. Soon, no one will need us.

Mwape shocks Munkonge

2005-03-02T17:44:00.000+02:00

Thus far, I've failed to blog any sports-related items here at Zamblog. Please allow me to make amends:

According to the Times of Zambia, this weekend Zambia Scrabble Association treasurer Isaac Mwape beat Association president Mwenya Munkonge to become the first player in a long time to unsettle Munkonge in the Second Scrabble Tournament at the University of Zambia's School of Mines.

According to Mukonge, “Our aim is to introduce the sport in schools so that we bring the young out of bad vices, especially sexual immorality." And I thought Scrabble was supposed to be about fun.

Is There A Doctor In The Country?

2005-03-01T20:10:00.000+02:00

About 40,000 overseas nurses have registered to work in the UK in the past 3 years. This influx has included hundreds of nurses from African countries (including Zambia) where active recruitment is banned. According to a recent Save the Children report, the UK cuts the cost of training its own health personnel by recruiting poor African health professionals. However, it does not pay compensation to those African countries, which subsequently suffer serious health crises due to the lack of doctors.

Zambia says it will work towards a memorandum of understanding to have countries that "poach its nurses" develop the its health infrastructure in order to continue training nurses. Since 1977, fewer than 10% (50 of 600) of the doctors trained in Zambia have remained in Zambia.

Nowhere To Go But . . .Down?

2005-03-01T16:47:00.000+02:00

Zambia is likely to slip further on the Human Development Ranking this year, University of Zambia development studies lecturer Dr. Francis Chigunta warned recently. Currently, Zambia is ranked 163 out of 175 countries; there isn't far to fall.

He said the scant allocation for the social sector in this year's budget indicated that the government had no development vision for the country.

Looking For Investment Options?

2005-03-01T16:37:00.000+02:00

According to the Ghanaian Chronicle, "In 2004, four of the top 10 stock markets in the world were from Africa, with Egypt, second overall with a 104 percent return over 12 months, Ghana, third on 86 percent, Malawi, fourth on 83 percent and Zambia, sixth on 77 percent."

The US, meanwhile, only posted returns of 9%.

Dry Spells

2005-02-25T23:40:00.000+02:00

Erratic rainfall is expected to jeopardize Zambia's prospects of a bumper maize harvest, warned Sam Mundia, permanent secretary in the ministry of agriculture.

According to IRIN, "overall rainfall this season was adequate for crop development in most areas, with the exception of the southwestern parts of the country, where prolonged dry spells have resulted in reduced plantings and crop failure."

Feeling Horny?

2005-02-25T20:42:00.000+02:00

There are very few White Rhinos in Zambia, all of whom are in Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park. Once, I went on a booze cruise and saw 3 of them. They had no horns. The guide explained that some Asian cultures value rhino horns as aphrodesiacs. Consequently, the Wildlife Authorities removed the horns to discourage poachers from killing them. However, it turned out that the poachers were angered with this tactic and proceeded to kill the rhinos anyway. There were only 6 rhinos left that day; I understand there are only 3 today.

According to the WWF, "the species name actually takes its root from Dutch, "weit" (wide), in reference to the animal's wide muzzle." And somewhat disturbingly, the male's penis points backwards.

The Beverage You're About To Enjoy Might Be Hot!

2005-02-25T18:06:00.000+02:00

When I lived in Zambia and wanted coffee, I always bought Malawian Coffee, because I was told it was the best. I didn't even know Zambia grew coffee. However, I recently learned of the Zambia Coffee Growers Association. This non-profit association has plantations all over the country, some of which also serve as wildlife refuges.

"Zambia's coffee growers are true pioneers: in 1980 virtually no coffee was grown in Zambia but today there are 4,000 hectares of coffee, providing employment to some 2,100 permanent staff. Seasonal employment during the harvest season (July through October) provides a further 18,000 jobs."

Two summers ago, I went on a tour of a coffee plantation in Malawi, and it was really cool. The ZCGA offers tours of the plantations it operates. You can contact them if you want a tour.

ZNWLG

2005-02-25T16:08:00.000+02:00

The Zambia National Women's Lobby Group was formed in 1991 and works to increase women's participation at all levels of decision making.

The posted an interesting statistic showing how women's participation in Parliament remained relatively stable between the early '70s to the early '90s (around 4%). In the late-90s, however -- after the NNWLG really got off the ground -- female participation in Parliament more than doubled (10.6%).

Their ultimate goal is 50/50 political representation.

DDO

2005-02-24T19:42:00.000+02:00

The Directory of Development Organizations provides comprehensive sources of reference for development practitioners, researchers, donor employees, and policymakers who are committed to good governance, sustainable development and poverty reduction.

The PDF file for Zambia is 22 pages long and has loads of information in it.

Mr. Amusaa Mwanamwambwa

2005-02-24T15:48:00.000+02:00

The current Speaker of the House is Mr. Amusaa Mwanamwambwa. His name is a mouthful.

The Zambian National Assembly maintains a fairly nice website, including transcripts of Parliament's debates and proceedings.

Plates

2005-02-23T23:42:00.000+02:00

Here's a photo of a Zambian license plate. The page also explains what each number means. Interesting.

Good Snap!

2005-02-23T23:36:00.000+02:00

This is a great photo of rural women preparing to brew beer. Check out the guy in the background. He saw somebody with a camera and struck a pose.

How Would You Like To Pay For That, Sir?

2005-02-23T19:46:00.000+02:00

According to Education Minister Andrew Mulenga, the Zambian government announced plans to recruit 5,000 teachers this year to relieve the severe shortage of teachers country's basic and high schools. "It is expected that the current teacher/pupil ratio of 1:52 at basic school level will be reduced when the new teachers take up their postings," he said.

1 to 52!

The article makes no mention whatsoever of the tens of thousands of schoolteachers currently on strike because Government has not paid their salaries.

Girls Beat Boys (in HIV Rankings)

2005-02-23T19:36:00.000+02:00

Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Mutale Nalumango announced that the HIV infection rate among young women between 15 and 19 is four times higher than that of young men of the same age group. She also noted that "the prevalence rate among people aged between 15 and 49 was at 23 per cent while that of rural areas was at 11 per cent."

Of course, considering the manner in which HIV is transmitted, the prevalance of prostitution, a general disinterest in condoms, and the idea that HIV+ men can "cure" themselves of the disease by sleeping with a virgin, it's no wonder.

Is It Halloween?

2005-02-23T17:05:00.000+02:00

I think most African masks are fascinating. Today, I discovered Randafricanart.com, which has an awesome catalog of masks from Zambia and her neighbors. There is also a lot of high-quality, easy-to-understand information in the accompanying text.

I have a mask just like this mask hanging on a wall at home. Before today, I didn't know the mask is a "Pwo" mask, meaning it represents a woman. (I had just been told it was from Angola.) Of course, the long hair, almond-shaped eyes, and slender nose should have given it away. However -- and the website never mentions this -- Pwo masks look severe, threatening, war-like: just look at the sharp teeth!

I think it's interesting (but not altogether surprising) that in such a patriarchal society, female masks are so terrifying.

Schistosomiasis

2005-02-23T15:35:00.000+02:00

Schistosomiasis is a problem in Zambia. According to the CDC, "those at greatest risk are travelers who wade or swim in or bathe with fresh water in areas where poor sanitation and appropriate snail hosts are present." Sometimes the lake looks soooo appealing. Be careful.

Infections, while often mild (bloody urine), can be severe:

"The most common acute syndrome is Katayama fever. Symptoms, which include fever, lack of appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain, hematuria, weakness, headaches, joint and muscle pain, diarrhea, nausea, and cough, may develop several weeks after exposure. Rarely, the central nervous system can be involved, producing seizures or transverse myelitis as a result of mass lesions of the brain or spinal cord. Chronic infections can cause disease in the liver, intestinal tract, bladder (including bladder cancer), kidneys, or lung."

The CDC recommends "vigorous towel drying after accidental exposure" but claims this is not a completely effective preventive measure.

Some of my friends contracted Schisto, but in the States, local doctors refused to believe they had it, insisting, instead, on testing for other things. Be firm if you have recently visited Zambia and are dealing with a Western doctor; for many, schisto is something they've read about but never seen.

Kids These Days

2005-02-22T22:48:00.000+02:00

HIV/AIDS is a problem in Zambia. According to Zambia's Central Statistical Office, the nation's youth are more likely to pay for sex.

This is no surprise, I guess. What this chart does not show, however, is how many Zambians engaged in risky behavior but did not pay for it.

Moreover, fewer than one in two (45%) Zambians used a condom the last time they had such an encounter. Many Zambians are not crazy about condoms so this figure is encouraging.

Grafting, Not Graft

2005-02-22T19:01:00.000+02:00

No, this post isn't about corruption. It's about growing fruit trees quickly and ensuring the fruits will be high-quality.

One of the more interesting projects I worked on in Zambia involved educating local farmers about budding and grafting. It's easy and involves simple tools. Essentially, you take a small bit from a seedling and attach it to a more mature tree. As the mature tree grows, so does the seedling and the fruit it bears. If you graft an orange tree onto a lemon tree, you'll get a tree that produces some oranges and some lemons. If you bud an orange tree onto a lemon tree, you'll get lemony-oranges. From what I hear, it's possible to graft multiple fruits onto a single tree -- meaning 1 tree can produce up to 8 different fruits (from the same family) during the year.

I realized today, in reading the article, that I could have saved myself a lot of work and simply grafted my avocado trees. Oh well.

A Sunshiney Day

2005-02-22T15:47:00.000+02:00

Much of rural Zambia is without electricity, and that electricity which does exist is largely hydroelectric. Of course, since power lines do not run throughout the country, hydroelectricity is somewhat irrelevant. During my second year in Zambia, my father sent me a solar panel, which provided enough energy to power 2 small light bulbs.

This week, BP awarded Zambia a solar power contract. 121 community-based organizations and 9 schools in rural Zambia will soon be getting solar panels to generate electricity for lighting, radio, television, and refrigeration. Trained installers from Lusaka will deliver, install, and train local users how to operate the equipment.

I'm not convinced that television is the most pressing need facing rural Zambians, but I'm sure that schools and CBOs will benefit tremendously from having electricity for lights and pumps.

Maize Production

2005-02-17T22:50:00.000+02:00

Maize, of course, is the main ingredient in the staple food in much of Southern Africa. Crop production is analyzed very carefully. Below is a list of Southern African countries and their maize production (Metric Tons) for 1999 and 2004:

Country---------1999------2004
Angola----------428,045---510,000
Botswana----------3796-----10,000
DRC----------1,199,000---1,155,030
Congo-------------6170--------6500
Kenya--------2,322,140---2,300,000
Lesotho--------124,549-----150,000
Malawi-------2,479,406----1,733,125
Mozambique--1,246,078---1,248,000
Namibia---------18,855------33,000

South Africa--7,946,000---8,311,000
Swaziland------124,057------70,000
Tanzania-----2,451,700---2,430,000
Zambia--------822,056----1,161,000
Zimbabwe---1,519,560----1,000,000
TOTAL---20,691,412---20,117,655

Changes depend on many factors. However, for Zambia at least, 2005's crop production looks good.

How Do I Apply For This Job?

2005-02-17T20:54:00.000+02:00

According to the FAO, in 2002, the alligator/crocodile population in Zambia was 22,259. (For all of Africa, the population was 203,193.)

In 1992, Zambia's alligator/crocodile population was only 3,346. It seems the past decade has been good to them.

Get A Job!

2005-02-17T20:48:00.004+02:00

According to Aneki.com, Zambia has the 4th highest level of unemployment in the world, at 50%. Only Liberia, Kiribati, and Zimbabwe have higher unemployment levels.

This isn't the only World Indicator in which Zambia is lagging behind.

2000 Census Reveals Widespread Goats Rearing

2005-02-17T18:33:00.000+02:00

Goat, or mbuzi, was my favorite meat in Zambia; it's soft and flavorful. Goats were about $10/head, and could feed a small party -- or about 15 people -- easily. I don't really know why we don't eat goats in the US.

According to Zambia's Central Statistical Office:

"The 2000 Census reveals that 454,629 agricultural households are involved in raising livestock. Various types of livestock are raised with the following being raised by a significant number of households namely; cattle, goats, pigs and sheep. Most of the households raise goats, accounting for 39 percent of all livestock raising households, followed closely by cattle-raising households at 35 percent. The likely reason for households raising goats more than cattle is due to the fact that goats are less susceptible to diseases such as corridor disease, foot and mouth disease than cattle. Goats are also less costly to raise. There were very few households that raised donkeys."

Know why? You don't eat donkeys.

Electricity Creation: Shocking!

2005-02-17T17:50:00.000+02:00

Electricity production in Zambia is almost entirely generated from the dam at Lake Kariba. In 2002, for example, Zambia generated 9109 GWh of electricity through:

Coal -- 15 GWh

Oil -- 35 GWh

Hydro -- 9059 GWh

That's it. (Of course, Zimbabwe only generated 8587 GWh, Kenya 4528, Tanzania 2994, and Namibia 1454.)

For comparison purposes, the US generated its 4,017,509 GWh of energy through:

Coal -- 2,047,247 GWh

Oil – 98546
Gas – 712444
Biomass – 45806
Waste – 24611
Nuclear – 804519
Hydro – 258366
Geothermal – 14939
Solar PV – 3
Solar thermal – 569
Other sources – 10459

Duly Elected

2005-02-16T22:39:00.000+02:00

Recently, I mentioned that Mwanawasa might be in trouble due to irregularities in the 2001 election. However, the Zambian High Court just announced that, "We are satisfied that the elections, while not totally conforming to standard practice, were in line with electoral rules and practice," said Chief Justice Ernest Sakala.

CR May Not CYA!

2005-02-16T21:26:00.000+02:00

When I lived in Zambia, the most common way for me to get from Lusaka to Eastern Province was to take public transportation. The 8-hour-ride cost about $9. At the time, the most important thing was that the bus always left on time, something that rarely happens in Zambia.

I recently learned that my "preferred transporter," CR Carriers, violated Zambia's environmental laws recently when they were caught illegally dumping oil and garbage into Lusaka's drainage system. They were subsequently fined K28 million.

Upon further investigation, I see that CR Carriers has had a number of problems lately. For example:

A couple in Mpika has threatened to take CR Carriers to court over their 12-year old boy who was disabled in a traffic accident involving one of the passenger transport company buses.
Police have picked up three people in connection with the shooting to death of a CR Carriers Bus Service employee in a K100 million robbery. One of the trio is a former employee of the bus company.
Four people died in 2001 after a CR Carriers bus collided with a Volvo truck at Katuba bridge on the Great East Road.

I have a friend who was on the bus when it hit a cyclist. Her trip was delayed about an hour while the police filled out the report. The biker died.

Sharks Of The Sky

2005-02-16T18:53:00.000+02:00

The Taita Falcon is "a smallish bird (about 28cm) which is a rare localized resident mainly found in Zimbabwe. Its habitat is cliffs and gorges while breeding and otherwise nearby woodlands. It is usually found singly or in pairs, hunting by swooping from the crags. The main diet is small birds."

For an interesting account of tracking Africa's rarest avian raptor (plus some great photos), visit David Maritz's website.

If you want to see the Taita Falcon first-hand, maybe you'd like to stay at the Taita Falcon Lodge:

I could eat breakfast overlooking the Mighty Zambezi.

"Lumbanyeni Zambia"

2005-02-16T15:11:00.000+02:00

In my experience, Zambians are very confident singers; even those who are bad sing loud and proud. It's a good thing, I guess, because the Zambian National Anthem is a difficult song. Nevertheless, it's very beautiful, and the lyrics are powerful.

BTW -- ("Lumbanyeni Zambia" translates as "Stand and Sing of Zambia, Proud and Free.")

I Got Blogged, Version 2.0!

2005-02-15T23:32:00.000+02:00

This afternoon, I discovered Tony Sheng's blog about mobilizing students to perform community service. It's interesting, and he's clearly passionate about his work.

I was pleased and surprised that he had blogged ZAMblog! And he had had the good taste to blog one of my more insightful posts, in which I deconstructed what makes a good well. Thanks, Tony.

Tongabezi Lodge

2005-02-15T22:46:00.000+02:00

I've never stayed at the Tongabezi Lodge, but it looks and sounds great!

"The Honeymoon House has a private balcony for romantic dinners. The Tree House is hewn into a cliff face and has awesome views. Each house has a huge open-air sunken baths in each room. There are five River Cottages situated along the river bank."

Only 20 kilometers upstream from Vic Falls, this might be one of the coolest places anywhere.

Depending on the season you visit, the rates are $360-500 per person. Gulp.

Duh.

2005-02-15T22:35:00.000+02:00

If you are interested in "safari etiquette," Zambia's online travel resource offers several tips. Among them is: "Never tease or corner wild animals." Hmm. Interesting.