President Banda Pledges More Investment for Zambia's Farmers

LUSAKA, Zambia, November 24, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- His Excellency, Mr. Rupiah Banda, President of the Republic of Zambia, yesterday launched the 2010/2011 agricultural planting season- promising to make more funds available to help Zambia's farmers.

At the official opening ceremony at Mweetwa Farm in Mumbwa District, President Banda reflected on this year's biggest ever harvest, which saw 2.78 million tonnes of maize produced - a surplus of more than 1 million tones.

In recognition of the huge efforts by Zambia's farmers to make this agricultural season the most successful in Zambia's history, President Banda pledged an increased budgetary allocation in the agriculture sector and the provision of K37 billion to build dams for irrigation and water supply to livestock.

To reap the maximum benefit of this commitment the President emphasised the importance of exploring and investing in agricultural technologies which will not only improve productivity but also help preserve the country's fragile environment.

President Banda said: "If we are to mitigate the impact of climate change on our country, we must look at technologies that have an incremental effect rather than a diminishing result. Let us advise each other against technologies which have the capacity to disadvantage our farmers in the long run, and which are capable of leading to environmental degradation."

Addressing the President of the Zambia National Farmers Union, Mr. Jervis Zimba, President Banda promised continuous investment in storage facilities and road infrastructure and encouraged an open dialogue to aid agricultural progression and work towards higher crop yields.

Echoing the commitments made on International Youth Day earlier this year, the President once again called upon the people of Zambia to work together to provide a strong future for their children. He said: "I ask the Zambia National Farmers Union to help us to attract as many young people as possible into agricultural activity, to help build on the great foundations we have already laid down."

SOURCE Statehouse, Lusaka, Zambia