IRRIGATION KEY TO IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY – KAHEKO

WITH climate change projections, irrigation will be key to improving agricultural productivity, diversification, and commercialization, Lweendo Kaheko has said.

Speaking to The Scoop, Mr. Kaheko alleged that irrigation was critical in building the resilience of the rain-fed farming systems in Zambia.

He noted that as Zambia pursued economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic under tight budget constraints, the Government had a momentous opportunity to achieve its triple objectives of debt sustainability, economic growth, and job creation through the reforms of its agricultural spending and support programs.

“Climate change poses major challenges to the development of Zambia’s agricultural sector. The country has a highly variable climate and in the past few decades, has experienced climatic extremes in the form of droughts, seasonal and flash floods, and extreme temperatures. Some of these hazards, especially droughts and floods, have increased in frequency and intensity and have adversely impacted on food and water security and rural livelihoods,” Mr. Kaheko said.

He said the New Dawn Government was committed to refocusing the agricultural policies and programs as articulated in their manifesto for the sector to become the driver for inclusive economic growth.

“Ineffective and inefficient sector policies and spending decisions have hindered agricultural growth in Zambia. Therefore, scaling up support in critical areas is key to harnessing the potential of Zambia’s agriculture towards broad-based rural job creation and income growth,” he added.

He observed that private sector agro-processing and marketing companies remained the main drivers of growth in agriculture though they needed incentives through an improved policy environment to attract new investments.

“To successfully address these problems, complementary public and private investments in critical sub-sectors, coupled with policy reforms, are required,” he noted.

He observed that high fuel prices increased transport costs throughout the food systems while increased fertilizer prices had negative impacts on crop yields.

“Although in smallholder sectors the yields have been historically driven largely by rainfall patters, there is a risk of high inflation due to increased prices of import commodities. Annual agricultural growth rates have fluctuated widely with the variations in rainfall received during the agricultural seasons caused by climate events such as El Niño and La Nina,” he said.

He however said despite extensive use of trade restrictions and fiscally costly fertilizer subsidies and maize price support programs, food insecurity and malnutrition had remained daunting challenges in Zambia.