By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –
HEALTH Minister Joseph Kaonde has called on investors to consider investing in agricultural infrastructure in the country.
Dr Kasonde said this during the Zambia National Day at Expo Milan in Italy last week.
This is the Universal Exposition held every five years worldwide and is currently running until the end of October.
The event saw the participation of a great number of enterprises, including Asso-Africa, a branch of the Italian Industrial Federation (Confindustria) dedicated to promote relationships between Italy and Africa.

. Dr Kasonde

Dr Kasonde said that food security was one of the major challenges globally as 800 million people worldwide suffered nutrition problems.
He added that this was a global problem deserving global responses.
“In this perspective we need investments in agricultural infrastructure. We also need sound agricultural policies dealing with the problem of food waste.
“We need as well to fight against poverty in rural areas,” Dr Kasonde said.
Italian Senator, Della Vedova,  said Expo Milan 2015 was a suitable place for dealing with cooperation and agro-industry policies and said Africa’s contribution to the exhibition was overwhelming with 40 delegations attending the Expo.
He acknowledged the political stability and the economic growth of Zambia, which represents one of the best partners for Italy in the sub-Saharan Africa region to be considered within the Italian governmental initiative dedicated to Africa.
Zambia Developing Agency (ZDA)  director general Patrick  Chisanga said Zambia’s geostrategic position between South Africa and Kenya and its membership to two regional economic bodies gave access to an enlarged area of consumers.
He said tourism and energy, solar in particular, were the main areas of development.
This is according to a statement from the Italian embassy in Zambia which was obtained by the Times of Zambia.