Zambian President: Public-Private Partnership a Key Lever for Agricultural Growth in Africa

Jihane
Jihane
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Zambian

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema told the “Dialogue on Leadership in Agricultural Policy in Africa”, held in Lusaka, that the development of public-private partnerships (PPPs) is an essential lever for promoting agricultural growth in Africa and exploiting the potential of the Continental African Free Trade Area (CAFTA).

On this occasion, Mr. Hichilema called on African countries to work more closely with the private sector “to formulate policies that will stimulate agricultural growth and make it possible to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the free trade area”.

The Head of State noted that the Zambian government was committed to developing a Comprehensive Agricultural Transformation Support Program (CASP) focused on private sector investment, aimed at strengthening food security, promoting agricultural exports, creating employment opportunities, and contributing to Zambia’s gross domestic product (GDP).

This program would respond effectively to the emerging and persistent challenges facing the sector, including climate change, low soil fertility, and natural resource degradation,” asserted Mr. Hichilema.

In this regard, the President stressed the need to mobilize the necessary resources to strengthen the public-private partnership, while pointing out that the reforms underway in the country would facilitate climate financing and attract investment to improve essential agricultural infrastructure and promote the marketing of agricultural products.

For her part, the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, the Blue Economy, and Environmental Sustainability, Josefa Sacko, recalled that the World Bank had announced a $2.3 billion financing initiative to strengthen the resilience of food systems in the countries of Eastern and Southern Africa.

Jihan Rmili

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