By JAMES KUNDA in Chilanga –
VICE-PRESIDENT Inonge Wina has said Government will boost local agricultural research and extension services to enable the country realise sustainable diversification of the sector.
Ms Wina said, through enhanced research, the sector’s output would be improved to propel Zambia to middle-income status by the year 2030.
“Agriculture is the backbone of the economic diversification agenda and to realise the Vision 2030 of becoming a prosperous middle-income country, we must value and support our indigenous researchers,” Ms Wina said.
The Vice-President said this in Chilanga yesterday when she made a familiarisation tour of Mount Makulu Research Station.
The facility is managed by the Zambia Agriculture Research Centre (ZARI) which is under Ministry of Agriculture.
Ms Wina directed Agriculture Permanent Secretary Julius Shawa, who was in her entourage, to study how the institution could be improved and its researchers used to fight growth impediments such as the army worm.
She said the institution was also critical to enabling farmers appreciate various crop varieties and the use of modern farming methods in the agro value-chain.
Ms Wina said staff at ZARI should ensure the continued to improve on their academic and professional qualifications to give smart solutions to farmers in the wake of the modern biotechnological production of food.
Ministry of National Development Planning – Development Cooperation, Monitoring and Evaluation Permanent Secretary, Auxilia Ponga said agriculture was key among the economic and social growth activities enshrined in the Seventh National Development Plan.
Dr Ponga said a Zambian working for the World Bank was currently lobbying for the country to become a net rice exporter to West Africa and institutions such as ZARI would be critical in achieving that feat.
ZARI director Moses Mwale said his institution was cooperating with other local and international institutions to boost agriculture research, to contribute to the sector’s productivity.
Mr Mwale called on the Government to enhance support to the institution, which was established in 1953, to enable it continue providing high quality, cost effective agriculture solutions to farmers of all categories.