By Cecilia Chiluba/Zambia/Lusaka
Zambia has called on African countries to strengthen seed systems and deepen regional collaboration to unlock the continent’s agricultural potential and reduce dependence on food imports.
Minister of Agriculture, Reuben Mtolo said Africa has the capacity to feed itself if countries invest in quality inputs, particularly certified seed, and promote intra-African trade.
Speaking during the Zamseed Field Day in Zambia’s Capital, Lusaka, Mr. Mtolo emphasized that strong and efficient seed systems are critical to improving agricultural productivity, enhancing resilience to climate change, and ensuring consistent output across the continent.
“Africa continues to import significant quantities of food despite having the capacity to produce sufficient supplies. The solution lies in strengthening seed systems, investing in quality inputs, and promoting intra-African trade,” he said.
The Minister noted that Zambia is positioning itself as a reliable regional seed supplier, supported by favourable climatic conditions, technical expertise, and a robust regulatory framework.
He said Government remains committed to promoting seed exports through regional platforms such as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Mr. Mtolo highlighted Zambia’s growing seed sector performance, revealing that the country produced 178,000 metric tonnes of maize seed in 2025, with 88,380 metric tonnes exported, a significant increase from 52,000 metric tonnes exported in 2024.
“This performance clearly demonstrates that quality seed is not just an input, but a critical driver in ensuring that Government meets its agricultural production targets,” Mr. Mtolo said. “Without access to high quality, certified seed, it is not possible to achieve high productivity, resilience, and consistency in agricultural output.”
He reiterated Government’s commitment to strengthening the national seed strategy through enhanced regulation, increased investment in research and innovation, promotion of exports, and improved access to quality seed through programmes such as the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).
Mr. Mtolo further underscored the role of agriculture in Zambia’s economic transformation agenda, noting that Government has set ambitious targets to produce 10 million metric tonnes of maize and one million metric tonnes each of soybean and wheat annually by 2031.
He reaffirmed Government’s commitment to providing an enabling environment to support growth in the seed sector and to ensure Zambia remains competitive in regional markets.
