Hon. Mtolo Urges Youth to Drive Growth in Zambia’s Agriculture Sector
The Minister of Agriculture, Mr Reuben Mtolo, MP, has urged young Zambians to actively participate in the agriculture sector, emphasising the importance of their involvement across the entire value chain – from input supply and production to processing, value addition, and marketing.
Speaking at the Youth Indaba held at Radisson Blu Hotel in Lusaka to commemorate International Youth Day under the theme “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”, Mr Mtolo described youth as both the innovators and change-makers of today, not just the leaders of tomorrow.
Highlighting government initiatives under President Hakainde Hichilema’s vision of “delivering for the people”, the Minister pointed to the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility (SAFF), promotion of climate-smart agriculture, expansion of irrigation, enhanced mechanisation, and improved market access as critical enablers for youth engagement.
“These efforts will help us achieve our national targets of producing 10 million metric tonnes of maize, 1 million metric tonnes of soybeans, and 1 million metric tonnes of wheat by 2031. But this can only happen if our young people step forward and take the lead,” Mr Mtolo said.
The Indaba convened youth leaders, development partners, and sector stakeholders to discuss how youth-led agribusiness initiatives can contribute to poverty reduction, food security, creation of decent jobs, and climate resilience, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Mr Mtolo encouraged young people to seize opportunities in agriculture, stressing that their active participation is vital for both national growth and sustainable development.
