from ARNOLD MULENGA in Lusaka, Zambia
Zambia Bureau
LUSAKA, (CAJ News) – ZAMBIA is seeking partnerships with Chinese companies in an effort to boost its transition to smart agriculture.
The Southern African country is embarking on such partnerships as part of a policy to make the most of modern technologies to increase agricultural yields and avert climate change.
A delegation of the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) is in China at the invitation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and utilised the opportunity to meet some agro-tech firms.
The week began with a tour to Chuxiong City, Yunnan Province, where the Zambian delegation called on leading companies to partner Zambian stakeholders in advancing smart irrigation and climate-resilient agriculture.
Among the companies visited are Yunnan Moore Farm Biotech Development, Yunnan Dianxi Seed Industry Sci-Tech Innovation Centre and Yunnan Alphy Biotech.
They are market leaders in biotechnology, high-yield seed development, organic fertilisers and plant-based health supplements.
“Zambia is open for business,” said Batuke Imenda, UPND Secretary General, who is leading the delegation to China.
“We are actively seeking partnerships that bring innovation, sustainability, and inclusive growth. The firms we’ve engaged here have the capacity to help us achieve that,” Imenda added.
The government of Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema is prioritising the adoption of climate-smart and irrigation-driven farming methods.
This is to ensure year-round food production, boost exports and create jobs in the drought-prone and climate change-afflicted country.
The visit forms part of a broader cooperation initiative between the UPND and the Communist Party, focused on agricultural modernisation, technology transfer and rural revitalisation.
– CAJ News