World Bank to support development of farming blocks
Hannock Kasama-The World Bank is next year expected to contribute to the agriculture Supplementary Budget biased towards the development of Farming Blocks.
Finance Minister SITUMBEKO MUSOKOTWANE has disclosed the development.
Dr. MUSOKOTWANE says the development of Farming Blocks is among the interventions to propel the agriculture sector to contribute massively to the country’s economy.
Meanwhile Dr. MUSOKOTWANE has observed that there is need to make Zambia an export oriented country through agriculture and other sectors.
He regrets that Zambia is importing juices from other countries despite massive potential to add value to its produces.
Dr. MUSOKOTWANE said this in LUSAKA today during the 2022 National Budget hosted by the INDABA Agricultural Policy Research Institute -IAPRI and financed by ABSA Bank Zambia.
And Agriculture Minister REUBEN MTOLO said the United Party for National Development-UPND Administration will prioritize irrigation as one of the means to unlock the agriculture sector.
IAPRI Research Director ANTHONY CHAPOTA called for the diversification of the agriculture sector.
Dr. CHAPOTA observed that Zambia’s agriculture sector is maize centric.
MEANWHILE, ABSA Business Banking Director BRUCE JAANI said the agriculture sector contributes greatly to the banking business in the country.