Agriculture remains at the heart of Zambia’s Vision 2030 and the 8th National Development Plan (8NDP), positioned as a key economic driver with the goal of creating an efficient, competitive, sustainable, and export-led sector that ensures food security and income growth.
Through the Comprehensive Agricultural Transformation Support Program (CATSP), the New Dawn Government has reaffirmed its vision of transforming the agriculture sector. By deploying comprehensive policy implementation tools, government aims to accelerate inclusive economic growth, eradicate hunger, and eliminate malnutrition.
However, it is evident that Zambia’s agricultural legal framework has presented challenges that continue to hinder the sector’s development and performance.
Among the issues raised by stakeholders are the Food Reserve Agency’s (FRA) involvement in markets, reports of price distortions, and grain market uncertainty.
Other concerns include conflicts of interest by Zambia Agricultural Commodity Exchange (ZAMACE), the absence of a viable commodity exchange, and inadequate market infrastructure, such as unrecognized warehousing receipts and insufficient agricultural marketing information.
Speaking during the provincial stakeholders’ consultations on the regulatory impact assessment process for the review of (3) three pieces of legislation, Northern Province Permanent Secretary Mr. Bernard Mpundu emphasized that agriculture is the backbone of our economy and livelihood.
“Through this legislative review and collaboration, we can resolve challenges that undermine the potential of our farmers while strengthening food security and boosting Zambia’s competitiveness in regional and global markets”, he said.
In response to these persistent concerns, the Ministry of Agriculture has initiated a thorough review process of the Food Reserve ACT, Agriculture Credit ACT and the Agriculture Marketing Bill, meant to enhance food security, open reliable markets for farmers, and promote sustainability in agriculture.
Notable objectives include advancing crop diversification and nutrition security, ensuring market access for farmers, and refining existing agricultural policies to address inefficiencies.
Among initiatives already underway is the National Crop Diversification Strategy, which bolsters food security through diversified farming. Additionally, strategic food reserve targets project a substantial increase in maize, soybean, and wheat production by 2027, while the National Food and Nutrition Policy seeks to eliminate malnutrition and promote a healthier population.
The Permanent Secretary further underscored the critical role of stakeholder participation in the consultative process, stating that their inputs will be key in shaping the draft legislation and tackling the bottlenecks that hinder progress in the sector.
As this consultative process unfolds, the Ministry of Agriculture remains committed to collaborating with stakeholders to ensure inclusive, evidence-based policymaking.
This unified effort reflects the government’s dedication to improving Zambia’s agricultural sector, ensuring food security, creating jobs, and reducing poverty.
Issued by:
Sandra Mulenga
Principal Public Relations Officer.
