Government Calls On Farmers To Embrace Value Addition

Ministry of Agriculture has called on farmers to embrace value addition for them to transition into emerging and large-scale growers.

Ministry’s Director- Agribusiness and Marketing, Mwendalubi Msoka says small scale farmers are key players in the value addition chain, therefore more effort is needed for them to add value to their products for a higher return.

Ms. Msoka notes that Government has placed high premium on value addition through initiatives such as the Comprehensive Agriculture Transformation Programme (CATSP), which is amplified by the pillar on nutrition and food security, as well as processing.
She was speaking in New Delhi, India, after attending the just ended World Food India 2024 Conference.

Ms. Msoka observes that India has done a lot on processing and that while small scale Zambian farmers have concentrated much on production, there is a need to pay particular attention to value addition if they are to grow.

And Ministry of Agriculture Chief Food and Nutrition Officer, Karen Mukuka is concerned that most of the food processed local may not be nutrition sensitive, stressing the need to have different crops blended to produce a particular product, to enhance the nutrition value of the crops.

Ms. Mukuka has also challenged farmers to grow drought resistant crops such as sorghum, millet, and cassava in the wake of unpredictable rainfall patterns.

Meanwhile, Zambia’s High Commissioner to India, Percy Chanda notes that India has a lot to offer in the agriculture sector, hence the need for the Ministry to engage more with various stakeholders in that country through the Mission.

This is contained in a statement issued by First Secretary Press & Tourism, at the Zambian High Commission in New Delhi, India, Bennie Mundando.