Patriotic Front Secretary General Davies Mwila says the PF government is delivering a diversified and export-oriented agriculture sector.
And Mwila says government is also delivering several large-scale irrigation development schemes and support services countrywide, like the Mwomboshi Dam project in Chisamba which is costing US $28.3 million and the Kafulafuta Dam project on the Copperbelt, costing US $450 million.
In PF’s weekly newsletter to News Diggers! Mwila highlighted PF’s achievements in their seven years in power.
“As the PF government continues to work towards actualizing the Vision 2030 goals; it is imperative that its performance over seven years [2011-2018] should be assessed against the stairway or building block to the Vision 2030 goal. It cannot be overemphasized that the stairway or chief corner stone to Vision 2030 is the 7NDP,” Mwila stated.
“The 7NDP for the period 2017 to 2021 and its attendant development outcomes are underpinned by five strategic pillars: economic diversification and job creation; poverty and vulnerability reduction; enhancing human development; environment for a diversified and inclusive economy; reducing developmental Inequalities.”
Mwila stated that the PF Government was delivering a diversified and export-oriented agriculture sector as espoused in the 7NDP.
“As a result, the production and productivity of multiple crops has significantly improved through intensified agricultural mechanization as well as increased land area under cultivation. The number of farmers participating in production has also increased significantly,” he stated.
Mwila further stated that various programs aimed at improving production and productivity, like the Farm Power and Mechanisation Enhancement Programme and the Irrigation Development Programme, were being implemented.
“Further to that, various programmes aimed at significantly improving production and productivity from farm to agro-processing and manufacturing at sector and enterprise level are being implemented,” he stated.
Mwila stated that under the Farm Power and Mechanisation Enhancement Programme, the PF government was currently establishing a US$ 100 million tractor assembly plant in the Lusaka South Multi Facility Zone.
He added that this was aimed at helping farmers to access cheaper equipment in order to improve mechanization for all farmers countrywide.
Mwila stated that the PF government was currently implementing the irrigation development programme through the Irrigation Development and Support Project.
“The objective is to inter-alia increase yields per hectare as well as the value of diverse products marketed by smallholders benefitting from investments in irrigation in selected sites served by the project,” he stated.
“There are four components to this project including: (a) irrigated agricultural support services; (b) public infrastructure; (c) private and cooperate investment, and (d) management and coordination.”
Meanwhile, Mwila stated that government was also delivering several large-scale irrigation development and support services countrywide, such as the Mwomboshi Dam project in Chisamba and the Kafulafuta Dam project on the Copperbelt.
“The Mwomboshi Dam Project in Chisamba, is a US Dollar 28.3 million Project funded by the World Bank. The Project will have the capacity to hold up to 65 million cubic litres of water, making it Zambias largest irrigation dam. The Kafulafuta Dam Project on the Copperbelt, is a US Dollar 450 million project. The dam project is being funded through a loan secured from Exim Bank of China; one of the outcomes will be the provision of clean and safe water in Masaiti, Mpongwe, and Ndola and Luanshya districts,” stated Mwila.
