Maravi

BoZ warns against reduced production in agriculture

BoZ warns against reduced production in agriculture
Written by Kabanda Chulu and Agness Changala
Saturday, December 20, 2008 7:52:57 AM

THE Bank of Zambia (BoZ) has warned that a reduction in agriculture production next year will result in the country not having enough foreign exchange reserves. And BoZ governor Dr Caleb Fundanga has challenged the civil society and business houses to engage in partnerships in order to improve infrastructure in the country.

Meanwhile, University of Zambia (UNZA) Dean of the School of Medicine Professor Yakub Mulla has expressed concern at the country’s failure to establish more medical schools.

Dr Fundanga said on Thursday that Zambia needed to ensure that there were adequate food reserves in order to mitigate the impact of the current global economic crisis.

“Our economy is vulnerable but we should feed ourselves even in terms of droughts. We should have adequate food reserves and it is embarrassing that we don’t grow enough food despite having plenty of land and water resources,” Dr Fundanga said.

“And I am urging commercial banks to support agriculture because if we record a decline in production next year, that will result in food shortage and there might not be enough foreign exchange to use for imports hence we will starve and die.”

Dr Fundanga said the current crisis had posed an awakening about the need to diversify more into the agriculture sector.

“In a crisis like this, we must eat and postpone costs like importation of cars and other luxuries and this calls for creation of enough food reserves that can even take two or more years hence we should work hard and grow more food because imports will deplete foreign exchange reserves,” he said.

And during the handover ceremony of the donation of books and equipment from AIMS to UNZA School of medicine at University Teaching Hospital (UTH) on Thursday, Dr Fundanga urged the school to identify the pressing needs of the institution so that more material could be sourced from well wishers.

AIMS is a Zambian-controlled non-profit, nonpartisan corporation based in the USA with offices in California whose objective is to make a contribution to rebuilding Zambia by redirecting the available surplus resources of nationals and friends of Zambia living in America.

And Prof Mulla said it was sad that students had to depend on the few existing medical schools which he said were not adequate.

He welcomed the donation as it was going to improve the situation in the school.

Mulla further expressed happiness at the fact that 90 per cent of specialists trained by the school were working in the country.

Labels: AGRICULTURE, BOZ, CALEB FUNDANGA, FOOD

posted by MrK @ 7:53 AM