6 March 2026

As climate variability, food insecurity, and data gaps increasingly challenge agricultural systems, building a new generation of skilled scientists has become critical for the future of food production in Zambia and beyond.

Young scientists from Zambia and partner institutions are gaining hands-on experience in climate-smart agricultural research through a collaborative initiative involving the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), IITA -CGIAR, and the University of Zambia.

Under the EU-funded LEG4DEV program, students are actively involved in field-based research on sustainable legume-cereal systems, applying both high- and low-tech data collection methods in real farming environments.

The initiative focuses on building practical research capacity beyond the classroom, equipping students with skills to address challenges such as climate variability, data scarcity, and sustainable food production. By working directly with researchers and farmers, students gain exposure to applied research approaches that strengthen Zambia's agricultural research ecosystem and prepare them to contribute to climate-resilient food systems.

An engagement meeting between the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), IITA-Zambia, the University of Zambia, and stakeholders from the Embassy of Sweden in Zambia and the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats) on 23 February 2026 demonstrated the value of partnerships in nurturing the next generation of agricultural scientists and ensuring capacity remains rooted in local contexts while benefiting from global expertise.

Speaking during the meeting, SLU's Prof. Jennie Barron said the engagement highlighted two critical priorities: building capacity among young scientists and strengthening the collection of reliable, ground-level data to support sustainable food systems under increasing climate variability.

"Changing weather patterns, emerging pests and diseases, and environmental pressures continue to affect both small- and large-scale farming and food and nutrition outcomes. While tools such as artificial intelligence, remote sensing, and modelling offer significant potential, their effectiveness depends on the availability of open, accessible, and representative field data."

Prof. Barron added that strengthening data collection in data-limited environments remains critical, and that demonstrations by SLU and UNZA students, in collaboration with IITA, illustrated how improved tools and sensors are helping researchers generate the evidence needed to inform climate-resilient agricultural production and evidence-based policy.

"Open, accessible, and representative data of production and food systems will be the foundation for evidence-based policy and climate-resilient agricultural production going forward," she said.

IITA-Southern Africa Hub Director Dr David Chikoye said the engagement marked the beginning of a broader conversation on how individual stakeholder efforts can be better aligned at the practical level to contribute to a shared vision for sustainable, climate-resilient food systems.

He added that the discussions highlighted the value of collaboration across institutions, opening opportunities to strengthen existing partnerships and explore new ones, including with national institutions such as ZamStats, which plays a critical role in strengthening data generation, management, and use.

"We look forward to continuing this dialogue and identifying practical ways in which our institutions can work together to scale impact, strengthen evidence-based decision-making, and ensure that our collective investments translate into tangible benefits for farmers, researchers, and food systems," Dr Chikoye said.

Meanwhile, a representative from the Embassy of Sweden in Zambia, Paula Engwall, said the visit provided valuable insight into ongoing cooperation between Swedish and Zambian partners and its contribution to more sustainable, climate-smart agriculture.

She noted that IITA's work aligns well with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency's (SIDA) global and Zambian priorities, particularly its engagement with youth in agribusiness.

"For the Swedish Embassy, it is valuable to gain insight into both the needs and opportunities within this space, and to explore potential synergies that could be further developed, including possible collaboration between IITA and ZamStats. Overall, the exchange was very constructive and reinforced the importance of strong partnerships in delivering shared benefits. We look forward to seeing how IITA's collaboration with SLU and other relevant actors continues to evolve."

The engagement meeting also included a field demonstration, during which students showcased how measurements such as soil conditions, crop performance, and environmental observations are collected and linked to digital tools to support analysis and decision-making.

Emmanuel Ngonga, a PhD student in soil science at SLU, said the hands-on fieldwork helped him understand how data collected on the ground feeds into broader research and decision-making processes, giving him practical skills to carry into his work.

Through the LEG4DEV program, the collaboration between IITA and SLU is strengthening young scientists' skills and laying the foundation for a more resilient and sustainable agricultural future.

Contributed by Rachel Namukolo-Nali