AGRICULTURE AT THE VERGE OF COLLAPSING – SAFADA

By Jessica Mwansa

THE Ministry of Agriculture should be restructured to actualise its potential as it is capable of revamping the national economy, the Small-Scale Farmers Development Agency (SAFADA) has said.

Speaking to The Scoop, SAFADA Executive Director Boyd Moobwe said the mistakes of the previous Government should not be a stumbling block and interfere with new plans.

“Agriculture is the battlefield where the United Party for National Development can win or lose its credibility of fixing the economy of this country. The current economic challenges in agriculture will affect the growth potential of the economy even when there are remarkable successes,” Mr. Moobwe said.

He said the agriculture sector was currently in the Intensive Care Unit gasping for life to survive and that it was at the verge of collapsing because of invalidation or failure to act on issues affecting the sector and that lack of action by the ministry had exacerbated the situation.

“The Ministry of Agriculture will contribute towards the failed economic growth and social security if necessary and applicable measures are not put in place on time. said.

“We appreciate and recommend what is happening now, such as the Zambia and China partnership agreement to invest in agriculture but as long as the indigenous people of this country are left out and are not fully engaged into validating the policy and programs in the country, current efforts to improve the performance of the agriculture sector will not address the local issues affecting the country,” he said.

He said the Ministry of Agriculture should raise the sector’s contribution towards the Gross Development Product (GDP) by 20 percent and ensure that the sector was a leading employer and economic growth stimulator.

“It is quite embarrassing that Zambia is struggling with food security, yet it is blessed with fertile land and hard-working farmers,” he said.

He appealed to the Government to concentrate on building local capacity to produce enough quantities of farm produce and add value for export other than engaging foreign investors.

“We strongly appeal to the Government to empower Zambian farmers and strengthen business relationships with foreign farmers for appropriate agricultural technology and innovation,” he said.

He further added that the agriculture sector should prepare a conducive market environment and production capacities to grow the sector and not depend on foreign investors.

“The Government is allowing an influx of foreign investors in agriculture but we feel small scale farmers should be given priority if we are to address poverty in the country and the economic status of the country,” he said.