Agriculture sector needs major reforms - Sichinga
By Christopher Miti in Chipata
Fri 20 Sep. 2013, 14:00 CAT

AGRICULTURE minister Robert Sichinga says the responsibility of developing Zambia does not fall on donors. And Sichinga says the agricultural sector needs major reforms.

Officiating at the USAID-funded Feed the Future Research and Development programme annual review and planning meeting at Protea Hotel on Wednesday, Sichinga said help could come from outside but the responsibility of developing the country does not fall on donors.

"It is on our shoulders, it is squarely on our shoulders. Don't look to another generation; you are the generation that should make the difference," he said.

Sichinga urged Zambians to work hard to develop the country.
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$18 million in the improvement of productivity of key value chains and the improvement and nutrition status of the Eastern Province through the Feed the Future Research and Development Progamme.

The programme is expected to benefit over 120,000 people. And Sichinga said having toured some agricultural colleges, it was quite clear to him that the sector needed major reforms.

"I think that one of the things that I should be doing in the ministry is to help bring about this reform. I have been in the ministry for less than a year, there is a lot of work to be done," Sichinga said.

He also said there was need to intensify research in alternative crops other than maize. Sichinga challenged researchers to use their research to enhance peoples' lives.