SAFADA nods Zambia’s ranking in Agribusiness

• Zambia being ranked as third in Agribusiness is encouraging.
• World Bank must look at how small scale farmers can access needed support.
• The ranking should tally with what is pertaining on the ground.

Small Scale Farmers Development Agency (SAFADA) says the ranking of Zambia as third in Sub Saharan Africa in Agriculture and Agribusiness by the World Bank is an indication that the country’s agriculture sector is performing extremely well.
Agency Executive Director Boyd Moobwe told Money FM News in an interview that the move is encouraging despite some challenges the sector is facing.
Mr. Moobwe noted that the World Bank has been supporting Zambia in many ways but that the Bank must look at how small scale farmers can have easy access to the much needed support.
He said the Bank must also see to it that Small Scale farmers especially those in rural areas actively participate in Agribusiness, so that the benefits of the country being ranked number three in Sub-Saharan Africa out of 28 countries can be felt by all.
“I feel good you know, it is quite encouraging if Zambia can be ranked number 3 out of 28 countries, meaning we are performing well in agribusiness. I think it is a step forward, it’s an indication that the agriculture sector is somehow doing fine, the performance is okay despite a number of challenges which needs to be addressed.”
“World Bank is really helping this country, but maybe I can take this opportunity to appeal to the Bank that they should ensure that the support reaches the ground accordingly in terms of looking at how the small scale farmers can be accessing the support that is required, and also to participate in Agribusiness in full swing, so that as we are ranked number three in Sub-Saharan Africa out of 28 countries, we really mean it from the bottom,” Mr. Moobwe stated.
Mr. Mr. Moobwe observed that small scale farmers in rural areas need more support because they are still lagging behind, as poverty levels in such communities still stand at 74 to 75 percent.

He stressed the need for government to ensure that the World Bank ranking is in line with what is pertaining on the ground.

“Sometimes the information that we are given at world level shows some kind of progress but when you go down deeper to the roots, meaning the grassroots rural population, you will find that poverty levels still stand at 74 or 75 percent. Now does it tally with the standard that the government has been ushered on, the rank that they have been given?”
“When you carry out a research now, you will discover that small scale farmers are still lagging behind. So we really appreciate because it means a lot but we need to pull up our socks so that we really mean what we are doing and the ranking is matching with what is on the ground,” he advised.
The World Bank has ranked Zambia number three in Sub Saharan Africa in Agriculture and Agribusiness.
In its ‘Enabling the Business of Agriculture -EBA- 2019 report’, the World Bank indicates that Zambia scored 63.73, out of 100, which is way above average for countries in the Sub Saharan Africa and similar income group.
Zambia has been ranked number 3 out of 28 countries in Sab Saharan Africa, number 7 out of 27 lower middle-income countries assessed and number 52 out of 101 countries that were assessed.

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