Northern Province Permanent Secretary Elias Kamanga has observed the need to boost the agriculture sector in the province as the economy of this region is primarily driven by agriculture.

Mr. Kamanga notes that the province has no major industry and its primary economic activity is agriculture.

Mr. Kamanga adds that farming, fishing and trading are the mainstay of the majority of the population.

He laments that there are very few farmers who grow crops on a commercial basis adding that most of the people are peasant subsistence farmers.

“Investment opportunities in agriculture include cultivation of maize, finger millet, rice, cassava, sweet potatoes, common beans, soybeans, groundnuts, fruits and vegetables. Others are floriculture, coffee, sugarcane, Jatropha, Palm-oil and Moringa production, rearing of livestock such as cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, poultry and honey production,” he said.

The Northern Province Permanent Secretary says the province is ranked fourth in maize production, second in groundnut and cassava production in Zambia.

Mr. Kamanga notes with gladness that millet production is also increasing to meet local domestic demand and industrial uses in other parts of the country.

“The Province is also a leading producer of beans,” he said.