Vietnam sees strong growth potential in Zambia’s agriculture sector

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam has expressed confidence that Zambia was on the path to achieving substantial agricultural growth, supported by expanding bilateral cooperation between the two nations. During a courtesy call on Northern Province Acting Permanent Secretary, Beauty Phiri, former Vietnamese Minister of Agriculture, Cao Duc Phat, said the two countries shared agricultural similarities that could be harnessed to boost productivity and accelerate economic development. Phat noted that enhanced collaboration in agriculture would not only strengthen diplomatic ties but also contribute to improved output in key farming areas.

“Zambia and Vietnam have common strengths in agriculture, particularly among small-scale farmers. Phiri said knowledge transfer and cooperation were expected to significantly increase agricultural production in Northern Province, which currently stands at about 13,000 metric tonnes. She emphasised that farmers in the region viewed agriculture as a major tool for reducing poverty at both household and community levels.

She, however, appealed for increased support in building capacity for marketing coffee produced in the province, noting that improved market access would further uplift farmers’ incomes. Meanwhile, Zambia’s High Commissioner to Vietnam, Morecome Mumba, said the strengthened partnership was expected to help reduce poverty through job creation and increased earnings for farmers. He added that Vietnam’s successful agricultural models, which prioritized smallholder empowerment, could be adapted to suit Zambia’s farming landscape. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.