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by mitia on 6/1/13
By NAKUBIANA MUMBUNA –
BRAZIL has offered to equip Zambia with latest techniques of improving the fish farming sector as the country seeks to diversify its agriculture sector.
That country’s Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Marcelo Crivella extended his government’s offer when Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Robert Sichinga called on him at his office in Brasilia on Friday.
This is contained in a media statement released yesterday by the Press secretary at the Zambian Embassy, Nicky Shabolyo.
Mr Crivella said Brazil was ready to help Zambia with latest techniques in fish farming, adding that his government was ready to arrange training opportunities in its institutions for Zambian professionals.
“Brazil is ready to arrange training opportunities in its institutions for Zambian professionals or we can send our own experts to Zambia to help share latest technologies with Zambians,” Mr Crivella said.
“My country has a lot of experience in fish farming as evidenced from the more than 5,000 species that are being nurtured for local consumption and export.”
Mr Crivella said Brazil had immense experience in developing bio-fuels extracted from fish oil which he said Zambia could adopt and find highly beneficial.
In response, Mr Sichinga said Brazil’s offer was timely as it came at a time Zambia was working to diversify the agriculture sector.
“We are seeking to diversify and you rightly said we have a lot in common such as the Tilapia fish, which is one of our popular breeds. This is something we would like to work on and grow,” he said.
Mr Sichinga was in Brazil to seek ways of reviving agreements and memoranda of understanding that have been entered into between Zambia and Brazil but remained inconclusive.
The Agriculture minister who is in Brazil to establish contacts with top Brazilian government officials, was accompanied by Zambia’s Ambassador to Brazil, Cynthia Jangulo; deputy director for livestock development, Christine Yambayamba and first secretary at the embassy, Binwell Pumbwe when he called on the Brazilian minister.
Mr Sichinga also met Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA) head of international affairs, Márcio Porto and EMBRAPA executive director, Ladislau Martin to discuss possibilities of Zambia benefitting from the advanced technology in crop and livestock that the institution employed.
EMBRAPA is a State-owned company affiliated with the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, devoted to pure and applied research on Agriculture.
EMBRAPA, which is the engine behind Brazil’s successes in agriculture, also facilitates solutions for research, development and innovation for sustainable agriculture.
Meanwhile, Mr Sichinga told Zambians living in Brazil that the removal of maize and fuel subsidies was necessary for Zambia.
The minister said the Michael Sata-led Government was a responsible one and was taking bold decisions which the past administration deliberately ignored in preference to political populism.
“We are not concerned about becoming unpopular but what we are determined to do is to ensure that we develop Zambia,” Mr Sichinga said.
“We are tak
