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Chapter 3 - Track ing Zambia’s Environmental Per formance
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• Charcoal production and slash-and-burn
farming practices have been a major threat
to wetlands and have resulted in soil erosion,
turbidity of water and siltation.
• Zambia’s rainfall pattern has largely remained
the same with Northern Province receiving
more and Southern Province receiving less
rainfall.
• The country is classified into three agro-
ecological regions. An analysis of rainfall
patterns conducted in these regions showed
that significant change had occurred in
Region I, which receives the lowest rainfall.
Additionally, the area of Region I has been
expanding over the years.
• Zambia’s highest temperatures are recorded in
the valleys. Average minimum temperatures
have been recorded in parts of North-
Western, Copperbelt, Central, Luapula and
Northern Provinces. Parts of northern Zambia,
particularly Mbala district, experience lower
maximum temperatures due to their high
altitude.
• Zambia is far from attaining MDG 7 on
environmental sustainability. More work
is needed in all target areas, particularly
in reducing the proportion of households
without access to clean water.