Zambian President Vows to Make Agriculture Leading Industry
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema said the government values the importance of farmers to the country's economic development and is determined to make agriculture the leading industry in the country.
"Whatever it takes, we are going to do it. Agriculture will be number one as we move forward," said the Zambian president in his remarks while officially launching the 2023/2024 national planting season.
The government is making changes to various policies that have been hindering the sector such as increasing the prices of maize and ensuring early delivery of farming inputs under a government-subsidized program, the Farmer Input Support Program, he said.
The president further said the government has introduced a credit facility for the sector as a way to encourage more people to venture into the agriculture sector.
He has since directed the agriculture minister to organize a stakeholders' meeting where various issues affecting the sector will be discussed and solutions found.
According to him, agriculture has a huge potential for growth because of a growing market for commodities like maize in the region which Zambia could supply by increasing productivity.
Agriculture Minister Reuben Phiri has said that the ministry had finished the distribution of fertilizer and seed to more than 1 million farmers under its subsidized program.
4155/v
