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Zambia has announced it will start rationing its electricity, as the effects of the drought that's hitting much of southern Africa continues to bite.

Eight hours of load shedding per day will begin by the start of next week, announced the managing director of the state-owned power company Zesco on Thursday.

Victor Mapani said the move was a result of the low water levels at Kariba Dam which is used to generate most of Zambia's hydroelectricity.

He said Zambia would continue importing power from Mozambique to cushion the energy deficit on the economy.

Mr Mapani advised consumers to use alternative sources of energy.

Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema has declared the drought a national emergency and urged local and international partners to help in fighting its effects.

Besides affecting the country’s energy sector, the dry spell is already hurting Zambia’s agriculture sector with an estimated one million subsistence farmers having their planted crops damaged.