In Zambia like in many other developing countries, the agricultural sector is highly dependent on rain-fed production and therefore vulnerable to weather shocks. Maize is the primary staple crop in Zambia, and is widely grown by smallholder farmers throughout the country, with a dual cassava-maize regime found only in the northern region. Among the smallholder farmers almost all production is rain-fed with very few farmers using mechanized irrigation. Climate change therefore has the potential to significantly reduce agricultural production and exacerbate poverty and food insecurity.