President Edgar Lungu has called for the adaptation of successful innovations aimed at transforming the entire Agriculture sector in order to accelerate growth and development.

President Lungu says there is need for small-scale farmers to adopt innovative ways of farming, in order to enhance productivity.

The Head of State said this during the high-level virtual dialogue on ‘feeding Africa: Leadership to Scale up Successful Innovations.’

He added that Zambia like most countries in Africa is still experiencing low agricultural productivity despite its rich natural endowment suited to feed itself and the rest of the region.

“The low Agriculture productivity has been worsened by effects of climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic”, said.

He stated that revitalizing food production and enhancing nutrition remains a core policy issue to end hunger through the sustainable development goals and National Agriculture and Food Policies.

President Lungu has since reaffirmed government’s commitment to transforming the agriculture sector, with an aim towards enhancing food security for the Zambian people.

The Head of State said this will be attained through promoting exports, private sector participation and climate resilient agricultural technologies and practices.

He also congratulated Dr. Akinwumi Adesina for being re-elected as President of the African Development Bank Group

And President of Botswana Mokgweetsi Masisi explained that global warming and changing in the weather patterns has led Africa to find alternative innovations in order to enhance food security and end poverty in the region.

Mr Masisi said it is important for Africa to adopt the necessary technologies in order to sustain the Agriculture industry across the continent.

He has since called on strengthened networks and partnerships from the private sector, in order to invest more in smart agriculture practices.

And President of Rwanda Paul Kagame says Agribusiness is one of the pathways to Africa’s prosperity.

Mr Kagame said there is need for farmers to invest in research and production methods in order to effectively increase production in the wake of climate change.

“There is need to improve our research capacity on modern food production based on science and technology”, he said.

He has also called strengthened partnerships to tap into successful innovations to produce more food at affordable prices and less environmental impact.

President Kagame stated that it is very important for Africans to enhance trade with each other by taking advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.

Governance activist, Isaac Mwanza has petitioned the Constitutional Court to declare the Sesheke Constituency seat vacant following the sentencing of Romeo Kangombe to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour by the Chinsali Magistrate.

Mr Romeo Kangombe is currently serving a sentence of imprisonment of 12 months suspended over the period of 2 years.

Mr Mwanza wants a further declaration that Mr Kang’ombe is not entitled to gratuity which is paid at the end of the session of Parliament.

Mwanza contends that the sentencing to imprisonment with hard labour for 12months of Kangombe for abduction and assault of two policemen required that the seat be declared vacant.

Mwanza contends that although Kangombe is serving the sentence as suspended for two years, remains a convict and serving imprisonment from outside prison.

He said the seat became vacant under the terms of Article 72, 2(b) and 70 (f).

He stated that although Kangombe was serving a suspended sentence for two years, he was still serving imprisonment from outside and was convicted under a written law factors that nullify a seat.

He said the Ruling of the Speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Patrick Matibini following a Point of Order from Kabwe Central Constituency MP, Tutwa Ngulube, made on 13th April 2021 therefore was ultravires to the provisions of the Constitution and should be declared null and void.

Mwanza states that any payments made to Kangombe so far must therefore be recovered and subsequently, he is not entitled to the payment of any gratuity.

A Declaration and Order that the Sesheke Constituency Parliamentary seat became vacant from Monday, 12th April, 2021 when Mr. Romeo Kang’ombe, Member of Parliament for Sesheke Parliamentary Constituency, was found guilty and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour, which sentence he is observing from outside prison for the duration of 2 years.

A well known Zambian born Irish ranger has been killed in Burkina Faso along with two Spanish journalists as they were filming a documentary about anti-poaching activities in the Western African nation when their convoy was ambushed.

The killings on Monday came as violence is increasing in Burkina Faso and the security situation in the Sahel is deteriorating, especially in the border area of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

Burkina Faso has seen attacks from many armed groups, several of them linked to the Islamic State and Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

The conservation organization Chengeta Wildlife said its co-founder and chief executive, Rory Young, was the third victim.

Mr. Beriain and Mr. Fraile were following Mr. Young, a Zambia-born Irish national based in Livingstone for their documentary, Chengeta Wildlife said on Facebook.

“It is with deepest sorrow and regret that Chengeta Wildlife confirms the death of Rory Young, our co-founder and CEO. Rory was leading a wildlife protection patrol in Arly National Park, Burkina Faso on 26th April 2021 when they were attacked by terrorists which resulted in his death and that of two Spanish journalists who were capturing his efforts to protect precious wildlife,” the statement read.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased right now. We respectfully request your patience, time and understanding as we deal with the loss of our inspirational leader.”

Mr. Young was a well-respected guide and ranger who had worked in several African countries, and whose organization provides a mix of traditional training to detect poaching groups, and crime scene investigation skills. Mr. Young had said that his organization was training 900 rangers and other personnel last year to track poaching and wildlife trafficking activities.

In his last Instagram post on Friday, Mr. Young said learning to track animals was like learning to read.

“It opens up a whole world of knowledge,” he wrote.

In 2017, Mr. Young of Chengeta Wildlife told The New York Times that the organization’s anti-poaching activities were only possible if it managed to build constructive relationships with the local populations to stay updated on events in the region.

“Without the community there is no solution,” Mr. Young said.

Yet Mr. Young also often acknowledged the risks of the rangers’ mission. In July, he wrote on Instagram about training local rangers.

“We do that with them on the frontline,” he wrote.

The ambush, in the reserve of Pama, part of the Arli National Park, occurred near Pendjari National Park, where a guide from Benin and two French tourists were abducted in 2019.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of Spain confirmed the deaths of the two Spanish journalists, whom he identified on Twitter as David Beriain and Roberto Fraile.

Movistar+, the Spanish television platform for which Mr. Beriain was filming the documentary, confirmed that Mr. Young was the third victim.

The two journalists were part of a group of 40 who were ambushed on Monday in a nature reserve in eastern Burkina Faso near the border with Benin, said Arancha González Laya, Spain’s foreign minister.

The authorities in Burkina Faso said in a statement on Tuesday evening that the country had faced “a resurgence of terrorist acts” since Sunday, and that around 10 people had been killed in several attacks