UK invests $5 million into potato farming in Zambia

The British government has reportedly invested US$5 million in potato farming in the Northern Province of Zambia to boost agriculture production in the region and contribute to the country’s economic diversification programme. British High Commissioner to Zambia Fergus Cochrane said in an interview in Kasama that Zambia has great potential to export agriculture produce in the Great Lakes region. Mr Cochrane said his government is interested in fostering agriculture production in the Northern Province to lift people out of poverty. “Agriculture is an area that we are interested in. In fact here in Northern Province, UKAid is investing over US$5 million dollars into a farm in a place called Katito for potato production,” he said. Mr Cochrane said agriculture diversification by allowing export of maize will create a source of revenue for the country by taxing the export. He said there is a recognition that aid alone is not enough to lift countries out of poverty hence the shift to development assistance. Report by the Zambian Daily Mail