President Banda Pledges More Investment for Zambia's Farmers

LUSAKA, Zambia, November 24, 2010 - His Excellency, Mr. Rupiah Banda, President of the Republic of
Zambia, yesterday launched the 2010/2011 agricultural planting season-
promising to make more funds available to help Zambia's farmers.

At the official opening ceremony at Mweetwa Farm in Mumbwa
District, President Banda reflected on this year's biggest ever harvest,
which saw 2.78 million tonnes of maize produced - a surplus of more than 1
million tones.

In recognition of the huge efforts by Zambia's farmers to make
this agricultural season the most successful in Zambia's history, President
Banda pledged an increased budgetary allocation in the agriculture sector and
the provision of K37 billion to build dams for irrigation and water supply to
livestock.

To reap the maximum benefit of this commitment the President
emphasised the importance of exploring and investing in agricultural
technologies which will not only improve productivity but also help preserve
the country's fragile environment.

President Banda said: "If we are to mitigate the impact of
climate change on our country, we must look at technologies that have an
incremental effect rather than a diminishing result. Let us advise each other
against technologies which have the capacity to disadvantage our farmers in
the long run, and which are capable of leading to environmental degradation."

Addressing the President of the Zambia National Farmers Union,
Mr. Jervis Zimba, President Banda promised continuous investment in storage
facilities and road infrastructure and encouraged an open dialogue to aid
agricultural progression and work towards higher crop yields.

Echoing the commitments made on International Youth Day
earlier this year, the President once again called upon the people of Zambia
to work together to provide a strong future for their children. He said: "I
ask the Zambia National Farmers Union to help us to attract as many young
people as possible into agricultural activity, to help build on the great
foundations we have already laid down."

Issued by: Dickson Jere, Special Assistant to the President, Press and Public Relations, press at presidentbanda.com .