President Edgar Lungu will attend the official opening of the Agritech Expo Zambia outdoor farming exhibition that returns for the fifth time to Chisamba from 12-14 April.
The event is expected to attract more than 22,000 visitors this year and will feature some 270 local and international agri equipment and services suppliers.
The theme of the President’s address during the opening ceremony on Friday, 13 April, will be: “Resilience part of Zambian nature: Applauding every step forward towards the modernisation of Zambian agriculture”.
President Lungu will be joined by Fisheries and Livestock Minister Kampamba Mulenga and Agriculture Minister Michael Katambo.
Meanwhile, Mr Jervis Zimba, President of the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) and the owners of Agritech Expo Zambia, says while farmers have been through a difficult period recently “it is time to put the challenges behind us and have a fresh start.”
He adds: “the ZNFU is in the process of producing a Marshall Plan for short term, medium term and long term agricultural plans that, if adopted, could help propel the sector to a whole new level. As ZNFU, we have an open-door policy and are open to discussions. We would like to share our ideas and plans with government and other stakeholders, and hence platforms like Agritech Expo.”
Mr. Zimba says farmers have already set the tone for the approach in agriculture development “with many taking the diversification case very religiously. We are seeing a shift in the way farmers are conducting business. Many are venturing into fruits and vegetables. There are some farmers that have started growing blueberries, macadamia nuts and such other cash crops. These need support by giving them incentives that would yield growth. They could be helped in the form of tax incentives. And look, the blueberry producer is expected to create 6000 jobs. Such developments need incentivising.”
He continues: “we have to grow agriculture. This year’s Agritech Expo would avail the latest technologies and agro innovations and machinery that would help the farmer pick up the pieces and start on a fresh agro-trajectory.”
Is Chisamba the only place where they can be holding this event? To promote agriculture they should rotate the hosting of this event- Mkushi in Central, Kalomo in Southern, Lundazi in Eastern, Kabompo NWestern, Mpika in Northern/ Muchinga, Lufwanyama and Mpongwe in the Copperbelt, Senanga in Western, Kawambwa in Luapula and Chongwe in Lusaka. These areas I’ve mentioned are provincial farming areas and are the best places to showcase farming technology.
Katwishi
This is very progressive and fully supported by the farmers’ representative ZNFU. ignore this moron 2020Vision, as usual always looking for faults. ni ba sembe ni hh.
Chisamba is the only place where there is a concentration of commerical farmers who can afford these highly sophisicated tractors..modern tractors are like a cockpit of an airbus aircraft.
Chisamba is the only place where there is a concentration of commerical farmers who can afford these highly sophisicated tractors..modern tractors are like a co.ckpit of an airbus aircraft.
Another chance for him to read his usual silly speeches about how PF govt is diversifying the Zambian economy into agriculture yet he is wasting over $900 million on overpriced Ndola-Lusaka building irrelevant hotels along the carriageway.
Lazy Lungu just wear a hat and climb on a tractor for a photo opp useless bum.
The most dishonourable man to be at the helm of this country.
He looks forward to climbing on a tractor and wearing a hat every year without shame…he is a waste of space the lazy thing!!
Jj you’re a paid up member for the analytica services. What a shame of a human being. Your name came up 1diot
@2020 vision, it’s very costly to host or even attend this event, Chisamba has land accessible by all. Smaller ones are always available at provincial level.