By Staff analyst
As much as 422,500 jobs could be created countrywide in the agriculture sector if the new dawn government fully exploits the available farm blocks that could easily absorb unemployed youths and citizens, new IAPRI research shows.
And the Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute (IAPRI) has warned that if the forthcoming 2022 national budget does to be presented by Situmbeko Musokotwane does not significantly change in terms of increasing investment in improving rural infrastructure, among others, government will fail to solve the high youth unemployment levels in the country.
Speaking during the IAPRI virtual presentation on harnessing employment opportunities in the agriculture sector in Lusaka, IAPRI Research Director, Dr. Antony Chapoto, disclosed that as many as 422,500 jobs could be created if government exploited the existing farm block model to establish and grow employment opportunities in the sector.
Data seen by the Zambian Business Times– ZBT when covering the lengthy presentation delivered to over 80 participants in Lusaka, showed that at least 422,500 jobs could be created in the agriculture sector alone, but only if government properly structured the huge quantity of farm blocks available in the country.
According to Dr. Chapoto’s findings, the potential employment creation on a total land size of 100,000 hectares of farm blocks could generate around 42,250 jobs per province or 422,500 across the 10 provinces of Zambia.
From his conservative assumptions contained in the IAPRI study dubbed, The Burgeoning Youth Population in Zambia: Harnessing Employment Opportunities in the Agriculture Sector, the bare minimum number of jobs created on a 10,000 hectare piece of land would be at least 50 permanent jobs.
“Farm blocks activation offer the best opportunity for job creation in the agriculture sector, and especially for the large and growing unemployed youth segment in Zambia. They provide a vehicle for sustainable rural development with very significant multiplier effect. With vibrant farm blocks, complimentary industries will emerge both formal and informal. A good example in Zambia is the Nakambala Sugar Estate with its offshoot of Kaleya out-grower scheme in Mazabuka,” Dr. Chapoto explained via video link.
“A minimum of one million hectares (10 provinces by 100,000 hectares) of arable land countrywide, if harnessed properly, the farm block design would create thousands of jobs across the country; accelerate agricultural growth; increase agricultural value addition and generate export earnings by attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).”
But the Agro research expert warned that if next year’s budget fails to realign the expenditure priorities in the agriculture sector, the “New Dawn” government’s job creation agenda will fail.
“Everything will be in vain if the composition of the agricultural budget does not change. If it stays the same, I am willing to bet that nothing will change. If we keep on supporting the areas we have been supporting, nothing will change”
“So, it is my hope and prayer that the 2022 agriculture budget will be bold and would make the needed changes. Otherwise, we’ll fail to harness the job potential of the agriculture sector, which we keep in prison! Right now, we are keeping the agriculture sector in prison,” cautioned Dr. Chapoto.
Farm blocks development has been hailed as an excellent way to realize Zambia’s massive Agro potential but successive governments have struggled to attract core venture or anchor farms investments. See ZBT article on challenges of developing farm blocks Nansanga farm block fails to attract anchor agro investor
Perhaps the new dawn administration of United Party for National Development – UPND with its promises for having deeper and high level international business relations would be able to deliver this well know National Agro growth strategic plan.
