James Siakakaba
M.S. Candidate, Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems
Sustainability Science program page
I am from Sioma District, in the Western Province of Zambia. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture with specialization in Plant Science. The passion to pursue studies in Sustainability Science stems from my eight-year work experience with the Agricultural sector in Zambia. I have seen several challenges faced by numerous small-scale farmers in my community. Shifts in the rainfall pattern, increased occurrences of droughts/occasional floods, prolonged dry spells, soil degradation and escalations of high temperatures are some of the challenges exacerbating the vulnerability of resource-poor smallholder farmers. The MS3 program gives the opportunity to broaden my understanding on how modern and advanced technologies can be applied to enhance the adaptive capacity of rural and resource- poor farmers in Zambia through Sustainable Agriculture. The knowledge and skills I will acquire from this programme of study, when blended with that from my agricultural background, will make me to be a proactive and effective agent of change in my community and country at large.