AGRICULTURE

UPND will provide affordable food to all through improved agriculture:
1. provide subsidised fertilizer and seed to the vulnerable. Identification or confirmation of the vulnerable would utilise existing information held by relevant departments and through consultations with the church, traditional and other local community leaders;

2. provide affordable and readily available agricultural loans to farmers;

3. promote efficient crop, livestock and fish production through improved farming methods and technology for increased yields, improved incomes to farmers, sustainable farming, food security for the country, better nutrition to the population and export to food deficit countries;

4. overall, improve agricultural and scientific research stations and the veterinary services' delivery capability (organisation, facilities, drugs, staffing, training/retraining, research and development).

5. effectively control livestock and fish diseases, provide community dip tanks, carryout livestock and fish restocking in relevant areas.6.specifically, provide extension services (crop, veterinary and forestry officers) in rural and farming communities;

7.invest more in the meteorological services so as to improve accuracy of weather forecasting essential for agricultural planning and management, disaster preparedness and general public use.

8. improve forestry management for sustainable utilisation, control of deforestation and soil erosion;

9. invest in planting and replanting of both indigenous and exotic trees. Further support will be provided to bee keeping, harvesting and processing of honey for domestic consumption and export;10. promote effective water development and conservation through efficient utilisation of current water resources, construction of more boreholes, canals, pipelines, dams and weirs to support crop irrigation schemes, livestock production, fish farming, transportation of goods and passengers;

11. provide ready and efficient market (rehabilitate existing depots/storage facilities, establish and build more of these closer to farmers) for produce and inputs distribution;
12. provide good viable producer prices;

13. ensure early payment to farmers for their produce and timely distribution of farming inputs;

14. promote agro processing industries to create more jobs for citizens;

15. ultimately, we would develop agriculture to a level that enables Zambian families including the poor to be able to afford three decent meals everyday.

“The amazing Barotse plains offer great opportunities to uplift the people of Western province from poverty. Cattle ranching, mangos, fish, rice growing can all be done at a commercial level. Wild life alone can earn my cousins here thousands of dollars. The Kuomboka Ceremony is another spectacular tourist attraction that brings huge financial gains for both the people of Barotseland and their Royal Establishment.

Cassava and maize growing is potentially good to deal with gross food insecurity in the area”. He noted.
President Hichilema emphasizes that each province is unique with comparative advantages. He said that the UPND government will use Sioma Water Falls to generate more energy to power the Western Province. Canals to support irrigation along side fish disease control would also be done. Timber and mining projects will be strengthened to create jobs. Rice , mango and cashew nuts growing will be supported to create livelihood for the people. The Barotse Royal Establishment will be given shares in the mines to be opened in the Province.

Infrastructure development focused on quality roads, schools, houses and health care facilities will be accomplished by the UPND Government.

We understand the Barotseland Agreement represents unity and the UPND Government will therefore honour this agreement entirely.

The party will further develop appropriate taxation of all mining and other extractive industries in order to benefit both Zambians and investors.  Re-align the  effective tax regime in the mining sector to internationally comparable and relevant levels in particular mineral royalty, corporate tax etc. while paying particular attention to the need for continued commercial viability  and sustainability of mine operations. This, together with the targeted economic growth and other revenue measures,  would help generate the necessary revenue to  finance the intended and responsible investments in various areas  including the social sectors of education, health, clean water supply, sanitation, infrastructure, etc.

 

The United Party for National Development (UPND) team will work tirelessly to realise the dream of a prosperous Zambia anchored on mutual understanding, love and national unity for speedy economic and social development, with a targeted economic growth rate of ten per cent (10%) per year. This will be achieved through running a mixed economy, particularly promoting increased but properly structured private/public local and foreign investments in sectors such as agriculture, mining, construction, energy,tourism, manufacturing, infrastructure, telecommunications, pensions, Insurance, financial and other services many of which have in the past decades been neglected.

Among measures necessary for the achievement of high but sustainable growth, would be maintenance of macro economic stability (lower inflation, lower interest and stable exchange rates). The UPND believes that as a country, we should realise that we cannot share poverty.The only sustainable way of helping the vulnerable and weak members of our society is through strong economic growth supported by effective economic management and social programmes.

We will take positive and clear steps to move Zambia forward into a middle income country, with equitable distribution of wealth among our citizens in all parts of the country so as to achieve overall poverty reduction, within a decade.

The UPND believes that politics is serious business and not a game as some people would like to treat it. The country now than ever before needs visionary leadership and economic management skills for development and social progress, as we are mainly not in a military or legal but rather economic war situation.

 

The hallmark of our approach would be good planning and prudent management (economic, efficient and effective utilisation of public including donor resources) supported by a vigorous but professional fight against corruption. Economic, business and social projects/programmes will be negotiated/structured within an average period of six (6) months and not thirty-six (36) months or more as is the case currently.