Zambia has been preparing to host the Agritech Expo 2015, which will be held from 16-18 April 2015 at GART Centre in Chisamba
According to Evelyn Nguleka, president of the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU), the Agritech Expo 2015 will focus on popularising the recently-launched ZNFU prepaid visa to all members and stakeholders as a smart inputs access and payment solution. This aims to increase the number of smallholder farmers accessing inputs and asset finance from the ongoing Lima Scheme, Bunjimi Asset Plus Scheme and other upcoming inputs and asset schemes, developing more agricultural service centres as one-stop centres for agricultural inputs and facilitating ZNFU members’ access to title deeds of their land.
Nguleka said, “This year our aim is to make Agritech Expo 2015 bigger, stronger and real than the previous year. We have increased the exhibition space. We have also dedicated one of the three days as a focus day for commercial and emerging commercial farmers. We saw from the over-subscription last year that this is what the farming community needs. We want to build on last year’s successes and make this event one that farmers and other agri-business players will always be looking forward to.”
The ZNFU president explained that the union was not only surprised by the number of visitors in Agritech Expo 2014 but was also amazed by the fact that Agritech Expo has proven itself not only as networking platform, but a unique and targeted business platform where actual sales happen.
Nguleka noted, “At the moment, Zambia is the only country that is self-sufficient on wheat production. We would like to strengthen this position and continue to make Zambia relevant in the region in as far as agriculture is concerned. Zambia is surrounded by eight neighbours who are a potential market for agricultural produce. Our vision is that when the region thinks of food it should think Zambia.”
The new features and opportunities at Agritech Expo 2015 will be a VIP business area, sprayer arena of 14,000 sq m, livestock equipment section and Zambian SME village, revealed Nguleka.
