Projects
- Center of Excellence for the Application Earth Observation Data in Agriculture and Food Security for SADC (2018-Present): In 2018, the Department of Soil Science was selected after a competitive process as an International Center of Excellence for the Application Earth Observation Data in Agriculture and Food Security for SADC. The center is supported through the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) through the Digital Belt and Road (DBAR) Program of the Chinese Government. The center mobilizes Earth Observation (EO) scientific knowledge, technology and data to enable Zambia and SADC Region to sustainably create a community of practice on comprehensive agriculture monitoring and therefore address the information gap related to food security and nutrition.
- Strengthening Capacity in Environmental Physics, Hydrogeology and Statistics for Conservation Agriculture Research (CEPHaS) (2017-Present): This project is being implemented in three countries namely: Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. With limited understanding of the soil under Conservation Agriculture (CA) thus, making it hard to predict when and where CA will be successful. The project aims to build research capacity in the three countries to examine long to medium term effects of CA practices.
- FAO-CASU Soil Health and Water Quality Monitoring Project (April 2015-Present)
- Partner institution in Peanut and Mycotoxin Innovation Lab Project on aflatoxin management in groundnuts in Southern Africa (2013-Present)
- SADC: Agricultural Productivity Project for Southern Africa (2013-Present)
- SADC Center of Excellence for Land and Water Management (2008-Present): The Department of Soil Science was competitively awarded the SADC Center of Excellence for Land and Water Management in 2008. The Department provides leadership for SADC Land and Water Management. The center was initially supported by the SADC Secretariat through SACCAR Project and helped support the CAADP Process through NEPAD and African Union.
- Lead Institution for CAADP Pillar I on Sustainable Land and Water Management (2007-2014)
- Environmental Impact Assessment of Luanshya Copper Mine (2007) Development of new open-pit copper mine
Current on-going research activities
Thematic areas of research include;
- Soil fertility
- Water management
- Land resource inventory
- Climate change and land dynamics
- Land use
- Plant nutrition
Staff continued research activities include:
- Effect of conservation farming with or without biochar on crop yield and soil quality parameters relative to conventional to conventional agriculture in controlled mechanistic experiments both in situ and ex situ in Zambia. V. Shitumbanuma, M. Chiwoya, M. Moombe, A. Obia and VRN Chinene
- Assessment of the fertilizing value of ant-hill soils of selected soil types in agroecological zones I, II, and III of Zambia. K. Munyinda and V.R.N Chinene.
- Assessment of the nutritional value of natural pastures in selected soil types of Zambia. VRN Chinene and O. Chibinga
- Evaluation of the efficacy of selected indigenous farming systems in Zambia. V.R.N Chinene and K.Munyinda
- EU_DAFNE Research Project. I. Nyambe and M. Miyanda
- Soil health and water monitoring in conservation agriculture scaling up FAO project in Sesheke and Sinazongwe. C. Shepande
- Integrated Genetic Improvement of Maize, Rice, Sweet potato and Tomato” supported by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IEA). K. Munyinda, L. Tembo, M. Mwala, D. Lungu, P. Kachapulula, O. Lungu, L.M. Chabala, C. Shepande, E. Phiri
- Strengthening Capacity in Environmental Physics, Hydrology and Statistics for Conservation Agriculture Research. E. Phiri, G. Sakala, D. Nkuwa, M. Moombe, L. M. Chabala, M. Miti, P. Lubinga
- Assessment of Conservation Farming Techniques for Integrated Crop and Livestock in the Improvement of Smallholder Farms - Scaling Up Climate Smart Agriculture in Zambia. Sianangama P. Chabala L.M and Tembo, L
- Joint UNEP/Chinese Academy of Science Project -RADI/CAS 2016 (2015 – 2020). Impact of climate change on the development of soybean production and export potential in the Zambezi basin. Role: Partner and expertise in crop simulation/modeling. E. Phiri
- Optimizing maize-cowpea intercropping systems productivity and water use resilience to climate change in Zambia and Mozambique. P. Kaluba, A. M. Mweetwa and M. Phiri – Chiwoya.
