Rice is one of the staple food crops and is a profitable smallholder cash crop in Zambia. It has the potential to contribute significantly to increased incomes and employment among rural producers. However, rice is the only staple crop in the country for which domestic production does not meet or exceed domestic demand. Low productivity is one of the factors that contribute to this. One necessary step towards addressing this problem is the identification of land with greatest potential for rice production, as well as the identification of land-based limitations which might be overcome by improved management. The aim of this study was to develop a land suitability index for rainfed paddy rice production reflecting expert opinion and published studies based on climatic, topographic and soil properties. Land suitability was evaluated using a method which accounts for important multiple factors, and which considers their joint effect in terms of a hierarchical model of constraints. The suitability classes were ranked according to the FAO land suitability classification as: Highly Suitable (S1), Moderately Suitable (S2), Marginally Suitable (S3), Currently Not Suitable (N2), and Permanently Not Suitable (N1). Results showed that there is limited potential for rainfed paddy rice production in Zambia with <20% of the land classified as either highly or moderately suitable. Therefore, the potential of irrigated and upland rice production in Zambia needs to be assessed as this would help expand the potential production area of rice.

水稻是主要粮食作物之一，是赞比亚有利可图的小农经济作物。它有可能为增加农村生产者的收入和就业做出重大贡献。然而，大米是该国唯一国内产量达不到或超过国内需求的主粮作物。低生产力是造成这种情况的因素之一。解决这一问题的一个必要步骤是确定水稻生产潜力最大的土地，以及确定可以通过改进管理克服的土地限制。本研究的目的是根据专家意见和已发表的基于气候、地形和土壤特性的研究，制定雨育水稻生产的土地适宜性指数。土地适宜性的评估方法考虑了重要的多个因素，并根据约束的分层模型考虑了它们的联合效应。根据粮农组织的土地适宜性分类，适宜性等级分为：高度适宜 (S1)、中等适宜 (S2)、略适宜 (S3)、目前不适宜 (N2) 和永久不适宜 (N1)。结果表明，赞比亚雨养水稻生产潜力有限，不到 20% 的土地被列为高度或中等适宜。因此，需要评估赞比亚灌溉和旱稻生产的潜力，因为这将有助于扩大水稻的潜在产区。并根据约束的分层模型考虑它们的联合效应。根据粮农组织的土地适宜性分类，适宜性等级分为：高度适宜 (S1)、中等适宜 (S2)、略适宜 (S3)、目前不适宜 (N2) 和永久不适宜 (N1)。结果表明，赞比亚雨养水稻生产潜力有限，不到 20% 的土地被列为高度或中等适宜。因此，需要评估赞比亚灌溉和旱稻生产的潜力，因为这将有助于扩大水稻的潜在产区。并根据约束的分层模型考虑它们的联合效应。根据粮农组织的土地适宜性分类，适宜性等级分为：高度适宜 (S1)、中等适宜 (S2)、略适宜 (S3)、目前不适宜 (N2) 和永久不适宜 (N1)。结果表明，赞比亚雨养水稻生产潜力有限，不到 20% 的土地被列为高度或中等适宜。因此，需要评估赞比亚灌溉和旱稻生产的潜力，因为这将有助于扩大水稻的潜在产区。和永久不适合 (N1)。结果表明，赞比亚雨养水稻生产潜力有限，不到 20% 的土地被列为高度或中等适宜。因此，需要评估赞比亚灌溉和旱稻生产的潜力，因为这将有助于扩大水稻的潜在产区。和永久不适合 (N1)。结果表明，赞比亚雨养水稻生产潜力有限，不到 20% 的土地被列为高度或中等适宜。因此，需要评估赞比亚灌溉和旱稻生产的潜力，因为这将有助于扩大水稻的潜在产区。