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

This briefing describes a pilot study conducted by GFA Consulting Group and the Stockholm Environment Institute to assess the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus in Zambia. The appraisal examines the interdependencies between governance and bio-physical perspectives, highlighting how agricultural transformation and energy transitions compete for limited resources like water and biomass.

• Water usage in Zambia is dominated by the agricultural sector, which accounts for 73% of withdrawals, 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.
• Zambia faces significant energy security challenges, with 70-80% of current demand met by biomass. While the national energy demand is approximately 70 TWh, it is projected to reach 300 TWh by 2030. The government set a 2015 goal to increase rural electricity access from 3.5% to at least 15% and national access from 22% to 40%.
• Agricultural intensification and expansion into forestlands are driven by rising food demand from a growing urban middle class and increased exports. This creates competition for water with the energy sector, particularly during the dry season (March/April) when demands peak, and contributes to high deforestation rates due to the need for charcoal and land.
• Current policy frameworks in Zambia contain conflicting targets, such as the tension between intensified agricultural systems and sustainable water use. While Sector Advisory Groups (SAGs) meet quarterly, there is a lack of proactive cross-sector strategic planning and rigorous quantitative assessments of resource use, leading to failures in meeting environmental water flow requirements in areas like the Kafue flats.

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} }