Those seeking to poison political space are mistaken- Lungu

President Edgar Lungu says those seeking to perpetually poison the political and business space with a view of forcing a system failure are mistaken.

Speaking when he officially opened the fourth Zambia National Farmers’ Union AGRITECH Expo at the Golden Valley Agricultural Research Trust (GART) in Chisamba today, President Lungu says Zambians want to move on.

President Lungu says noted that the presence of various foreign exhibitors at the Expo is an affirmation that Zambia remains a stable, safe and attractive business and political environment to the shame of a few unpatriotic elements seeking to tarnish the image of the country in foreign media and other platforms.

He says government has work to do and that there is no time to politic endlessly.

He says government will continue facilitating an enabling environment, with stable and predictable policies to spur the growth of the agriculture sector.

President Lungu adds that government will also continue to create policies aimed a promoting private and public sector investments in agriculture and building institutions which will help drive government’s agricultural diversification vision.

And President Lungu has directed the ministry of water d3velopment, sanitation and environmental protection to ensure that the water resources management authority (WARMA) becomes fully functional and should revise water user fees for irrigation in order to promote irrigated agriculture.

He notes that private sector investment in irrigation has faced challenges because of delays in having the Water Resources Management Authority fully functional.

The Head of States adds that farmers have also complained of high fees charged by WARMA.

President Lungu says there is a potential risk that the use of water on farms could be costly, limiting long term investment in irrigation.

The AGRITECH Expo was being held under the theme “Driving a Modern Agricultural Economic Vision for Zambia”