Tue, 18 Apr 2017 10:36:31 +0000
By BENNIE MUNDANDO
ZAMBIAN youths should take full advantage of the enabling environment for investment in the agriculture sector to explore the opportunities presented by the increasing demand for food worldwide, Edwin Lifwekelo has said.
Mr. Lifwekelo said there was need for the majority of Zambians, especially the youths, to turn to agriculture because the sector provided immense potential for sound entrepreneurship at household and commercial level which would transform the lives of many people.
He noted that Zambia had huge pieces of arable land which were underutilised saying with proper investment in technological advancement, Zambia was bound to be a food basket for countries within and outside the continent.
He said youths were key to increasing production capacities in agriculture hence the need for them to change their attitude and embrace the sector as it was one for the conveyor belts to economic empowerment especially that government had continued subsidising production in the sector.
“Government has created an enabling environment for agriculture in this country and with its support and room for technological advancement created, youths are key to improving food production. With projected demand for food likely to increase as the world population grows, more people must be focused on accessing farmland and increasing productivity to avert unemployment, “It is estimated that Zambia contains around 60 percent of the world’s unused arable land and production yields are estimated to be below global averages. It is therefore imperative for government and the private sector to join hands and encourage more youths to venture into agriculture,” Mr. Lifwekelo said.
He noted that Zambia had good soils and abundant water for agricultural purpose both for rain-fed and irrigated crops and that government’s diversification policy fitted well into the increase in world demand for food which the country could utilise.
He noted that the initiative by the PF youths to raise funds through the dinner that will be graced by President Edgar Lungu was important as it will not only raise funds to empower the youths, but will also provide a platform for youths to interact with decision-makers.
“There is a lot of potential in agriculture and a lot of arable land underutilised. We also have abundant water and therefore, one can even venture into fish-farming which is a high-profit enterprise. If all of us the youths apply the rightful attitude towards entrepreneurship, there will be no one who will be complaining that they do not have a job. “We would like to commend PF national youth chairperson Hon. Stephen Kampyongo and Lusaka Province youth Chairperson Kennedy Kamba for organising a dinner to be graced by President Lungu. This is a good initiative meant to empower our young people. Zambia is in a hurry for economic emancipation and we all have a role to play,” he said.
