Zambia recognised for her strides in agriculture

Zambia has been cited and recognised as a country that has scored positive results in conservation farming.

Zambian Ambassador to Italy Frank Mutubila said in a statement availed to ZANIS in Lusaka today that the country has also been cited as one where small scale farmers were making a big difference and impact in addressing food security challenges.

Mr. Mutubila disclosed that Professor Sir Gordon Conrad, who is the author of a book entitled “Can We Feed the World?” disclosed this at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy.

He said Prof. Conrad noted that to meet the food needs of nine billion people by 2050, food production will have to increase by 60 percent.

He said Sir Conrad said in developing countries, the increase will even have to be higher, where in some cases, the production could even have to double in areas where small holder farming will be feeding the world’s poorest people.

He said the answer lies in sustainable agriculture where the productivity, stability, resilience, and equity are high, with the sharing of the products also high.

Sir Conrad said to achieve this, innovation, markets, people, and political leadership are important.

And FAO‘s Dr. Graziano da Silva expressed optimism that all these were possible but only when certain conditions were met.

He said these condition include applying the principle of save and grow and placing the small holder agriculture at the centre of global effort.

Sir Conrad is an Agricultural Ecologist and former President of the Royal Geographical Society.

His book serves as a springboard for debate on eradicating hunger and malnutrition for the world’s growing numbers in a sustainable way.