President Edgar Lungu is scheduled to opening of the Agritech Expo Zambia, this year slated for the 12-14 April.
Organisers of the event expect to attract more than 22-thousand visitors, featuring over 270 local and international agri equipment and services suppliers.
The President’s address during the opening ceremony will be:
‘Resilience part of Zambian nature: Applauding every step forward towards the modernisation of Zambian agriculture’.
Meanwhile, Jervis Zimba, President of the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) and the owners of Agritech Expo Zambia, says while farmers have been through a difficult period recently: “It is time to put the challenges behind us and have a fresh start.”
“The ZNFU is in the process of producing a Marshall Plan for short term, medium term and long term agricultural plans that, if adopted, could help propel the sector to a whole new level.
As ZNFU, we have an open-door policy and are open to discussions,” said Zimba.
Zimba said farmers have already set the tone for the approach in agriculture development “With many taking the diversification case very religiously, we are seeing a shift in the way farmers are conducting business.
Many are venturing into fruits and vegetables. There are some farmers that have started growing blueberries, macadamia nuts and such other cash crops.”
These need support by giving them incentives that would yield growth.
They could be helped in the form of tax incentives. And look, the blueberry producer is expected to create 6000 jobs. Such developments need incentivising.”
He continues: “We have to grow agriculture. This year’s Agritech Expo would avail the latest technologies and agro innovations and machinery that would help the farmer pick up the pieces and start on a fresh agro-trajectory.”
The multi-award winning Agritech Expo Zambia will also welcome international and country pavilions from the Czech Republic, the EU, Finland, Germany, the UK and Zimbabwe. Agritech Expo Zambia is free to attend for all visitors that pre-register.
