Ministry of Agriculture says one of the challenges facing food development in the Agricultural sector is low investment from both government and the private sector in Zambia.

Minister in Charge Michael Katambo said the government resource envelop was limited and had competitive demands and addressing all the needs of the sector was a challenge.
“In an effort to increase investment, Government has identified the private sector as partners in championing agricultural transformation through the Public Private Partnerships. (PPP)” He said.

He was Speaking In a speech read on his behalf by Ministry of Agriculture permanent secretary, for policy and planning Songowayo Zyambo during the launch of the Agro-PPP platform in Zambia.

The Food and Agriculture organization (FAO) of the United States said the Africa Agriculture Status Report of 2019 found that around 80% of food consumption in Africa came from purchases by urban rural consumers and food consumption was marketed mostly through private operators.

Country representative George Okech said this followed up with rapid proliferation of  Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the mid-stream of the value chain.

In a Speech read on his behalf by FAO Technical advisor Mutendere Mphaso, Mr Okech said SMEs were the biggest investors in creating markets for farmers in Africa today and were expected to continue to play a key role over the next 20 years.

“We need to effect a paradigm shift and ensure that domestic small and medium private sector has a strong voice in the dialogue befitting its importance in the agricultural transformation agenda.” He said.
Mr Okech added that government should support and stimulate private sector investments through a stable and predictable policy environment conducive for private sector investments.

Meanwhile Food and Agriculture Organization Agribusiness officer Stepanka Gallatova said public private mechanism were a way of encouraging the private sector to help them participate and develop expertise in developing the Agriculture sector.
Ms Gallotova added that investment in agriculture was too vast for the public sector to do it alone as such it required the private sector to take part in it.