By HAPPY MULOLANI
TO better support the
agriculture sector, the necessity to build strategic partnerships is key,
especially with organizations that are already engaged in investing in the agriculture
sector in order to improve livelihoods.
Amidst an array of struggles,
farmers in Zambia grapple with unproductive soil, unreliable water supplies,
low-quality seeds, and scarce markets for their crops. This situation resulted
in the Government of Zambia signing an agreement with the Alliance for a Green
Revolution in Africa (AGRA) recently in Lusaka.
AGRA is an organisation
which started in 2006 with the aim of investing in agriculture as a way of
contributing towards poverty reduction and hunger in Africa. It supports
millions of smallholder farmers across the continent. Ideally, smallholder
farmers comprise 70 percent of Africa’s population and the intention of AGRA is
to ensure these smallholder farmers efforts are enhanced by increasing their
productivity and incomes. It is encouraging that AGRA has supported over 400
projects, and this has included offering interventions such as developing and
delivering “better seeds, increase farm yields, improve soil fertility, upgrade
facilities, improve market information systems, strengthen farmers’
associations, expand access to credit for farmers and small suppliers, and
advocate for national policies to benefit smallholder farmers.”
AGRA plays a pivotal role
in transforming the agricultural sector in Africa and its food system- which is
suitable to the conditions in Africa and areas whose emphasis safeguards the
environment. This position has enabled AGRA to build an alliance of partners,
comprising of farmers and their organizations, governments, agricultural
research organizations, the private sector, local non-governmental
organizations, and civil society. The involvement of these key players is to
significantly improve the productivity and incomes of smallholder farmers,
majority of these are women.
Following calls by former
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s for an exclusive “green
revolution”, AGRA was birthed to improve smallholder farm productivity at the same
time preserve the environment. It is an independent organization based in
Africa and has representation of leaders at all levels which includes
influential African political, business leaders, scientists and international
experts in agriculture and economic development.
An AGRA Report indicates
that “AGRA’s strategy is to facilitate the creation of an efficient African
food system through grants and capacity-building assistance to institutions
needing to improve their productivity of smallholder farmers.”
It supports activities in
16 countries in Africa, with more prominence to Ghana, Mali, Mozambique and
Tanzania. Their aim is to improve production of staple crops in “breadbasket”
in places deemed to have relatively good soil, adequate rainfall, and basic
infrastructure. Whatever approaches work in specific places can be adopted in
other areas and countries with comparable conditions. Besides the 16 countries,
AGRA also offers its support to Sudan, Sierra Leone and Liberia. These
countries are considered post-conflict locations and require support to
resuscitate their agriculture prowess.
Zambia becomes the 17th
country to be a member country of AGRA. AGRA is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya
and promotes African led interventions meant to boost agriculture
interventions.
In a recent signing
ceremony with the Government of Zambia, President of the Alliance for a Green
Revolution in Africa, Agnes Kalibata highlighted the deliberate efforts
directed towards supporting agriculture interventions given the apparent need
to increase productivity and food security among smallholder farmers.
Through this partnership
between AGRA and Zambia, it is expected that more effort will be directed
towards transforming food systems in order to benefit the citizens. It is also hoped
that mechanisms which promote resilient and stronger sustainable food systems will
be strengthened in order to address poverty and hunger.
Minister of Agriculture,
Michael Katambo hailed AGRA for responding to a request made to AGRA, to enable
Zambia become its member.
Mr Katambo explained that
prior to signing this agreement, AGRA was still supporting key areas in the
agriculture sector.
“AGRA has supported
research development at the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI) and
seed development with the Seed Control and Certification Institute (SCCI),” he
stressed.
Mr Katambo reaffirmed
that Zambia had prioritised the agriculture sector as a strategic sector aimed
at fostering economic growth and poverty reduction.
“Government intends to
attain its objective of job creation, economic growth and human development
through agriculture. To achieve this, government is promoting value-addition,
irrigation development and export of agriculture produce, agriculture
diversification, private sector participation and building resilience to
climate change especially among small-scale farmers,” disclosed Mr Katambo.
He also pointed out that the
country had recorded a bumper harvest last farming season. However, these gains
achieved in 2019/2020 were overshadowed last year with the climatic shocks
experienced, coupled with outbreaks of Fall Army worms and African Migratory
Locust as well as the dreaded Corona Virus (COVID-19), which has proved to be a
drain on government funds.
Despite these challenges
which have affected small-scale farmers in various parts of the country, it is envisaged
the admission of Zambia as a member of AGRA, will be beneficial to assist in
upscaling agriculture development in the country.
