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Zambian health authorities have been urged to intensify disease surveillance and ensure the availability of essential medical supplies to counter potential health crises during the upcoming rainy season.
Minister of Green Economy and Environment, Mike Mposha, also called on disaster risk managers and local authorities to carry out thorough inspections of critical infrastructure to mitigate possible flood risks.
Delivering a ministerial statement in Parliament on Thursday on the 2025/2026 Rain Season Forecast, Mposha announced that the country should expect a return to normal to above-normal rainfall.
He urged civic leaders and communities to take proactive steps in maintaining drainage systems, stressing that preparedness was a shared national responsibility.
“The information aims to support national planning, economic stability, and the livelihoods of millions, particularly in the agricultural sector, which has faced significant challenges in recent years,” Mposha said.
The minister explained that the forecast was particularly significant as Zambia continued to recover from the devastating El Niño-induced drought that severely reduced agricultural production and food security.
He said the 2025/2026 season was expected to unfold in two phases, with normal to above-normal rainfall forecast across the country.
“Citizens, particularly farmers, must stay updated and make informed decisions based on the most accurate weather information available from the Zambia Meteorological Department, which is committed to providing essential weather updates,” Mposha advised.
Reflecting on past seasons, he noted that the 2023/2024 season was marked by an unprecedented drought that cut maize production by more than 50 percent, affecting food security for over six million people.
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This also drove food prices up and worsened power shortages due to reduced hydroelectric generation.
The 2024/2025 season, he added, was also challenging, with delayed rains forcing farmers to replant at great cost and uncertainty.
To strengthen early warning systems, Mposha revealed that government had completed the installation of more than 200 new automatic weather stations and established rainfall stations in over 300 agricultural camps.
He explained that the crucial phase of the coming season—December 2025 to February 2026—would coincide with the influence of a developing La Niña climate phenomenon, which typically enhances moisture transport into southern Africa.
“This return to normal rainfall does not come without risks, as the country must prepare for potential flash floods and water-borne diseases, as well as ensuring that our public infrastructure is resilient to the challenges of increased rainfall,” Mposha warned.
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