The Southern African Agriculture Development Partnership Platform (SAADPP) has been launched in Zambia under the NEPAD Business Foundation (NBF) and the Agri-Business Forum (ABF)
Officiating at an event held recently at Radisson Blu, Lusaka, agriculture and livestock permanent secretary Siazongo Siakalenge said that the launch of the Zambian chapter of SAADPP forms an important base on which strong partnerships in agricultural development can be anchored.
“The government and private sector should jointly develop and map out strategies on the future of Zambia’s agribusiness in particular and how it relates to regional and world markets. As a government, we are committed to building a robust and broad-based agricultural sector which will stimulate growth along the whole value chain,’’ Siakalenge said.
The government aims to identify opportunities and challenges faced by smallholder farmers in enhancing quality agricultural production, productivity and value addition.
Under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), Zambia has developed a National Agriculture Investment Plan (NAIP) which underscores a pro-poor agricultural-led economic development programme.
“The NAIP implementation will be led by the private sector while the government will focus on the provision of an enabling environment that facilitates and promotes private sector-led agricultural growth,’’ Siakalenge pointed out.
Nawa Mutumweno
