ZAMBIA has been chosen to host the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) next month which is expected to devise concrete plans on how to transform Africa’s agriculture.
The forum is scheduled to run from September 30 to October 2 and would be held in partnership with the Government, COMESA and the Alliance for a Green Revolution (AGRA).
Agriculture and Livestock Minister Given Lubinda announced at a press briefing in Lusaka yesterday that the forum would be held under the theme, ‘walking the Talk on Youth and Women – bringing inclusive agricultural markets to life’.
The discussions would be centred on promoting investments, public private opportunities , policy support for driving agricultural productivity and income growth for African farmers in an environmentally and sustainable way.
“More than 300 global and African leaders are expected to convene in Lusaka to develop concrete investment plans for driving Africa’s agricultural transformation.
“This is vital for Zambia because both local and foreign heavy investment is expected,” Mr Lubinda said.
He said the hosting of the forum was in line with the government’s desire to contribute and develop a thriving agricultural sector in Zambia and the region.
“Government values its partnership with AGRA and COMESA and looks forward to strengthening them and transforming the country and continent’s largest employer which is agriculture,” he said.
Speaking at the same event, AGRA president Agnes Kalibata who is also Rwandan Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources said AGRA appreciated the role that the Zambian government had taken in ensuring that its agricultural sector thrived.
“It is in recognition of this role that we actually feel that we should bring the African world into Zambia to witness what is happening and to share what the Zambian people have achieved over the years,” Dr Kalibata said.
She said the hosting of the AGRF was a learning experience which would give an opportunity to the continent to experience Zambia’s products in the agriculture sector.
We are not an example of a country with policies that promotes agricultural industrial growth at the moment. Hope this will be the opportunity to set a side politics of name calling and learn how we could better replace our dependence on copper mining exports with agriculture exports.
Irrigation development, mechanisation is the way to go.
SINKAMBA HERE AN OPPORTUNITY COMES
Okay we have done too much charcoal burning to deserve this