Rapid appraisal of the Water-Energy-Food nexus in Zambia

The document identifies critical resource competitions in Zambia, particularly between hydropower and irrigated agriculture for water use during the dry season. It highlights a significant gap in cross-sector strategic planning and recommends integrated quantitative assessments to align conflicting sectoral targets as the country pursues its 2030 economic goals.

• Water withdrawals in Zambia are dominated by the agricultural sector at 73%, followed by municipal use at 19% and industrial use at 8%. Hydropower production utilizes approximately 40% of available surface water and provides over 94% of the national energy supply, excluding fuelwood.
• There is a projected increase in energy demand from approximately 70 TWh to 300 TWh by 2030. While the government aimed to increase rural electricity access from 3.5% to at least 15% and national access from 22% to 40% by 2015, biomass currently meets 70-80% of demand due to cost and accessibility.
• The expansion of irrigated agriculture and hydropower is expected to create conflicting interests for water resources, especially during the peak demand period of March and April. This competition threatens environmental flow requirements, as seen in the Kafue flats where hydrological alterations from hydropower have impacted limnic ecosystems.
• Zambia's current policy framework contains conflicting targets, such as the tension between intensified agricultural systems and sustainable water use. The document notes a lack of cross-sector strategic planning and rigorous quantitative assessments of resource use, despite the existence of quarterly Sector Advisory Groups (SAGs).

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (n.d.). Rapid appraisal of the Water-Energy-Food nexus in Zambia. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2015/SEI-GFA-Nexus_DB_Zambia_2015.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Rapid appraisal of the Water-Energy-Food nexus in Zambia. n.d. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2015/SEI-GFA-Nexus_DB_Zambia_2015.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Rapid appraisal of the Water-Energy-Food nexus in Zambia |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2015/SEI-GFA-Nexus_DB_Zambia_2015.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitutendrapid, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Rapid appraisal of the Water-Energy-Food nexus in Zambia}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-2015/SEI-GFA-Nexus_DB_Zambia_2015.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }