2026 National Budget should balance between agro support and fiscal disciplie - Economist

By MUSHIMA MULEMENA

ECONOMIST Trevor Hambayi says the 2026 National Budget must strike a balance between supporting the agricultural sector and maintaining fiscal discipline, as Government seeks to advance its Grow Zambia Agenda.

Speaking in an interview with millennium TV, Mr Hambayi says that the Grow Zambia Agenda has already established agriculture as a key driver of economic growth, meaning the national budget must provide the necessary resources to support the sector’s production and productivity targets.

He said the challenge, however, was ensuring that resources allocated towards agricultural development were sufficient to support the country’s ambitions without placing additional pressure on public finances.

Mr Hambayi explains that Government must carefully manage its spending to avoid an expansionary budget that could widen the fiscal deficit and undermine efforts to maintain economic stability.

He says the effectiveness of the budget will ultimately depend on how well it supports the agricultural growth agenda while remaining within the country’s fiscal limitations.

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