Presidential Irrigation Scheme Starts in Lusaka Schools

A government initiative to bring irrigation to schools is getting under way, with selected learning institutions in Lusaka among the first to benefit under the scheme's opening phase.

The Presidential Irrigation Initiative for Schools is designed to support schools in producing their own food using irrigation - building resilience against the increasingly erratic rainfall patterns that have disrupted both agriculture and food security in recent years.

Demonstration maize fields are already under way at selected schools in Lusaka, giving learners and teachers hands-on exposure to irrigation-based farming techniques.

The initiative forms part of President Hakainde Hichilema's broader push to expand irrigation across the country, shifting agriculture away from dependence on rain and towards year-round production. By embedding that shift in schools, the programme also aims to equip the next generation with practical agricultural skills from an early age.

Further phases of the school irrigation rollout are expected to follow as the programme expands beyond its initial sites.