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DPI advises govt to develop agriculture

DPI advises govt to develop agriculture
Written by Fridah Zinyama
Monday, January 05, 2009 6:18:37 PM

DEVELOPMENT Partnership International-Zambia (DPI) has urged the government to critically look at developing the agriculture sector for Zambia to survive the current economic woes.

In a statement, DPI-Zambia Strategy coordinator Richard Musauka stated that the agriculture sector had massive potential to contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“The current 20 per cent contribution that agriculture makes to the GDP is a mockery of its potential,” he stated. “The sector is more than capable of doubling the figure if government seriously invested in it.”

Musauka stated that although past governments had tried to invest in agriculture, action on growing winter maize, irrigation, crop diversification and livestock development had been sluggish and poor in some cases.

“We would like to remind government that eradicating extreme poverty, which is also top of the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs) in a country like Zambia can systematically and strategically be addressed through agriculture,” he stated.

Musauka stated that it was unacceptable that over 80 per cent of the highly impoverished people were in rural areas when Zambia had over 60 per cent of arable land which was uncultivated.

“To this end, we would like to urge government to find a smarter way of encouraging investment in agriculture,” stated Musauka. “It is high time policy-makers realised that agriculture builds a strong economic foundation for any country. It is against such a background that we strongly advocate that the 2009 national budget should be agriculture development oriented.”

Labels: AGRICULTURE, DEVELOPMENT, DPI

posted by MrK @ 6:19 PM