• PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu being welcomed at the World Farmers’ Organisation General Assembly by organisation president Evelyn Nguleka and other officials at Avani Victoria Falls resort in Livingstone yesterday. Picture By EDDIE MWANALEZA/STATE HOUSE. (See story on Page 2)

By BRIAN HATYOKA –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has said that Zambia produced a record of 2.7 million tonnes of maize in the 2015/2016 farming season despite the difficult weather pattern that the country experienced.
Mr Lungu said those who doubt the Patriotic Front (PF) Government’s resolve and capabilities to confront economic challenges Zambia was faced with must be ashamed at the remarkable success the country had achieved in the 2015/2016 farming season.
He said despite the difficult weather pattern, the success had not come by as an accident but as a result of clear decisions that the Government made to restructure both the input distribution mechanisms and crop marketing exercise.
“Those who doubt our resolve and capabilities to confront challenges must be ashamed at the remarkable success we have achieved in the 2015/2016 farming season which has recorded a record 2.7 tonnes of maize.
“Despite the difficult weather pattern, the success has not come by an accident but it is as a result of our clear decisions we made to restructure both the input distribution mechanisms and crop marketing exercise,” Mr Lungu said.
Mr Lungu was speaking in Livingstone yesterday at AVANI Victoria Falls Hotel when he officiated at the 2016 World Farmers Organisation (WFO) 6th General Assembly.
The WFO General Assembly, which is being held under the theme ‘Partnerships for Growth’, has attracted representatives of 517 million farmers scattered around the world.
He said basal dressing fertilisers were in the field by May last year, while all farmers were paid by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in 2015 for the first time in decades.
Mr Lungu said the feared transition to the electronic (e) vouchers was introduced by his administration saying farmers as well as Zambians could trust the PF Government.
“We are able to confront the economic challenges and transform them
into opportunities. This is why we are to laugh off those
self-righteous sentiments and criticisms from some who think we have no capacity to run agriculture in particular and the economy in general.
“We have the experience and a demonstrable record that we are ready and able to do even better. Agriculture is on the mend and the economy in general in on a recovery path. We are determined to do even better,” Mr Lungu said.
He said agriculture was Zambia’s main economic contributor and it created employment for old and young generations while it contributed significantly to the social-economic development of Zambia in particular and the whole African continent in general.
“My Government is determined to provide farmers with innovations and technologies that will accelerate the process of poverty eradication among our poor rural communities who constitute the majority farmers.
“I wish to therefore assure you that my Government has placed priority on cooperating partners working closely with farmer’s organisations to foster food productivity in a sustainable manner and to guarantee incomes and food security for the good of all of us,” Mr Lungu said.
The Head of State said farmers were not merely food producers but they were partners in the global fight against climate change and for sustainability of planet earth.
He said no amount of criticism would deter his administration in fostering development saying his Government would not give up regardless of the current economic challenges.
Mr Lungu also said the Government had made the COP21, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Agenda 2030 and the Committee on World Food Security (WFS) processes a priority.
Speaking at the same meeting, WFO president Evelyn Nguleka said agriculture was the primary sector of all economies and that the sector was responsible for granting food and nutrition security to all human beings.
Dr Nguleka, who is Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU), said agriculture was also responsible for social stability and health adding that the sector provides work opportunities to families, men, women and youth, and largely contributes to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
She said farmers needed to develop the right skills and knowledge needed to effectively improve their capacity.
“This would never be possible without the support of our partners and friends from the public and private sectors, from local and international arena, who believe in our daily work and in our central role for the socio-economic well-being of this planet.
Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda, who thanked WFO for hosting its General Assembly in Zambia, said close to 800,000 million people were hungry every day worldwide.
“One of the sustainable development goals is to fade hunger in the next 15 years. Politicians like you and I can talk about that but the one with responsibility to work towards that goal are these present here,” he said.
WFO Secretary General Marco Marzano said the conference had given an opportunity for delegates to examine the theme as farmers strongly believed in partnership.