ABSTRACT
Northern Province is one of the nine provinces of Zambia. It is bordered by the Republic of Malawi to the northeast, the Republic of Zaire in the northwest, Luapula Province to the west, Central Province to the south and Tanzania to the north. Chitemene shifting cultivation is the traditional agricultural system of the Bemba in Northern Zambia. Chitemene shifting cultivation makes available the nutrients that were previously stored in the vegetation and utilizes the natural forest or woodland as the agricultural fallow crop. Traditionally both men and women performed specific tasks within the agricultural cycle. During the colonial period, agricultural policies largely promoted the interests of the white settlers who occupied the roost accessible and best agricultural lands. The independent government was committed to "rural development" through the money economy. The government also hoped to increase agriculture's contribution to the gross national product.
