Zambia is bustling with excitement on the eve of the 4th Agritech Expo, one of Africa’s largest business-to-business agricultural exhibits. It runs from 27 – 29 April 2017 in Chisamba, Central Province.

Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) executive director Ellah Chembe at a media briefing today said this year’s Agritech Expo will focus on local and international issues of food security.

“This is a huge and exciting opportunity for farmers, agro-dealers and suppliers of equipment to interact and address the burning issue of food security in the context of climate change. The expo will address a variety of issues – from the seed farmers should use right through to production and marketing,” she said.

Issues with smart technologies and crop and animal disease control will also feature prominently. This year’s exhibition will feature a record number of six international pavilions with 40 countries, including Germany, the United Kingdom (UK), the Netherlands, France and the Czech Republic participating.

“The entire expo has been designed to ensure participating farmers share useful skills and information with each other,” Chembe said.

Topics like finance and farm management, sustainable disease management and increasing crop productivity are also on the agenda.

The director in Zambia’s Ministry of Agriculture Mukelabai Mukelabai said government endorsed the expo. “The expo enjoys extensive support from government as it is an important vehicle in government’s diversification programme through agriculture. It is our hope that during the expo stakeholders will also find time to engage on the newly launched national agriculture policy,” he said.

Reuben Banda, representing Musika, said innovative farming technologies on show at the exhibition have the potential to help Zambia’s smallholder farmers in increasing their output, despite climate change challenges.