Food Insecurity and Chemical Agricultural Input Dependency

The research investigates the development of food insecurity among an agricultural society located throughout the Eastern Province of Zambia. Ethnographic techniques such as observation, participant observation, focus group and household surveys were employed to obtain information from participating Chewa Respondents. Prior to colonization the Chewa were considered successful cultivators producing a surplus of crops as they maintained a local ecological balance and sustainable food security. Unfortunately, food security among many Chewa households has declined. Respondents were asked to recall experiences related to agriculture production, household income, personal health, access to social services and food security through various presidential administrations in Zambia. The aggregate data shows a progression of food insecurity developing through restructuring programs of IFIs and administrative policies promoting the use of chemical agricultural inputs. Various political eras and government policies are documented and analyzed to identify the conditions which contributed to an increased dependency on chemical agricultural inputs and subsequent food insecurity.