WORLD BANK FUNDS FARM BLOCK DEVELOPMENT

By Jessica Mwansa

THROUGH the World Bank supported project such as Zambia Growth Opportunities, additional financial resources have been made available to accelerate farm block development countrywide, Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary for Administration Yvonne Mpundu has said.

Speaking to The Scoop, Ms Mpundu said the farm block development program was well aligned with the country’s 8^th National Development Plan (8NDP) and the second National Agricultural Policy which called for environmental sustainability, economic transformation and job creation in the agricultural sector.

“The agricultural sector has continued to be a strategic area of focus for the Government in promoting economic growth, reducing poverty and creating employment in our country and if well harnessed through a number of initiatives such as the farm block development and sustainable agriculture finance facility, it can significantly contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” Ms Mpundu said.

She said in view of that, the Government had renewed its commitment to the development of farm blocks throughout the country adding that the renewed commitment was evidenced by the financial and material resources which had been availed for the smooth implementation of the programme.

She said the Government had done its part by providing the necessary resources needed with regards to the implementation of the program and urged the staff in the Ministry of Agriculture to smoothly and quickly actualize the farm block model.

“The financial support coming from the bilateral partners has made it possible for the Ministry to initiate the process of developing the farm block strategy and the specific investment plans which will be guiding documents for further mobilization, infrastructure development and public private partnerships. We are thankful for the financial and technical support that we have received from private sectors and all stakeholders. Let us continue working together towards attaining one goal for the betterment of the sector,” she said.

She further added that among the activities that the Government had undertaken towards the implementation of the farm block program was the procurement of vehicles for all provinces.

“The electrification of Luena farm block and the construction of access roads in Luena and Nansanga farm block by the Zambia National Service are a great achievement for us as a sector. Our hope is to electrify the other remaining farm blocks as well as the construction of roads for easy access to farm blocks by our farmers,” she said.