Zambia responds to drought crisis with maize planting initiative

LUSAKA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Zambia launched the planting of irrigated maize Thursday at farms owned by the Zambia National Service in the Kafue district of Lusaka Province, as part of the country's efforts to mitigate the effects of drought.

Minister of Defense Ambrose Lufuma, who inaugurated the program, said that the security agency plans to plant about 1,978 hectares of maize by July this year, reported the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation, the state broadcaster.