Egypt Envoy Hails the Nation’s Agro Policies

27 May 2011

EGYPTIAN Ambassador to Zambia Salah El-Sadek has praised Zambia’s agricultural policies which have led to increased crop yields.

Mr Sadek said in Lusaka that his country was impressed with increased production of maize and other crops Zambia had continued to record every year.

He said the Government should continue to implement further valuable agricultural policies that would benefit more farmers in Zambia under programmes such as the Fertiliser Input Support Programme (FISP).

Egypt was confident Zambia would during the next farming season record another maize bumper harvest, and that the Government should consider integrating more farmers under FISP.

Zambia last farming season was in a record-high 2.6 million tonnes of maize and was expected to have another bumper harvest in the coming season.

“This is good development in Zambia’s agricultural sector and we are delighted with efforts the Government is making to improve this sector.

“If the Government continues with such efforts even this coming farming season, I think Zambia will have enough food security for the citizens,” Mr Sadek said.

He said Egypt would continue to assist Zambia’s agriculture sector.

The North African country was currently working with Mwembeshi Open Prison Farm through the Zambia/Egypt joint venture project in agriculture.

Meanwhile, farmers in Southern Province have expressed concern over outbursts by Patriotic Front (PF) vice-president Guy Scott that Northern, Western and Southern provinces do not need the FISP.

Former Kazungula District Cooperative and Marketing Union chairperson Lawrence Mudaala said it was wrong for anybody to come up with such political statements on programmes that had helped the farmers.

Livingstone District agriculture committee chairperson Bernard Macha said it was only questionable politicians who could suggest that the FISP should be stopped.

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