NEPAD Business Foundation (NBF) and Agribusiness Forum to launch Agriculture Investing Platform – SAADPP – in Zambia
Lusaka, Zambia August 2013 – The NEPAD Business Foundation (NBF) and Agribusiness Forum (ABF) will host the first Southern African Agriculture Development Partnership Platform (SADDPP) Agriculture Conference in Zambia, bringing together the country’s agribusiness players and government bodies to deliberate on partnerships that can map out progressive development and investment in the sector.
Formed in 2012 by the NBF, SAADDP is a private sector-led partnership platform aimed at identifying and removing barriers to agriculture development at the same time unlocking investment and trade bottlenecks in the sector. The objective of the platform is to mobilise, institutionalise and increase the voice of the private sector in influencing the agricultural growth process and trade policy as enablers for growing the economic segment in Southern Africa. SAADPP facilitates collaborative and coordinated discourse as well as practical development project planning and implementation between the private sector, governments, development partners and civil society on the burning issues affecting the private sector in agriculture. Since its launch, a series of focused workshops have solicited in-depth inputs from key stakeholders and have culminated in the formation of 3 thematic focus working groups being Regional market integration, Capacity building and Alternative funding.
Already operating in Mozambique, the platform is providing government and business a platform to work together to crowd in investment. Lately, through SAADPP, agriculture deals and small-holder projects are beginning to receive investment, technical and financial support through the platform.
At this event the NBF will launch the country-focused SAADPP platform for Zambia. Lynette Chen CEO of the NBF said, “This conference is going to showcase the promising achievements and results achieved through collaborative efforts between the private sector and government partnerships in the region. Upon such success we will chart a way forward for a Zambia-specific partnership plan to implement in the agriculture sector.”
Speaking on the partnership, Brenda Nang’amba Acting Executive Secretary of ABF said, ”The private sector should take a more pro-active role in agricultural development. To realise this, key stakeholders should synergise their efforts towards achieving the major goals of the agriculture sector – attainment of food security within and beyond our borders and wealth creation. We appreciate government’s commitment to the CAADP Agenda evidenced by the development of the National Agriculture Investment Plan (NAIP). The private sector has over the years faced numerous challenges that hinge on policy and infrastructure. SAADPP is a timely intervention which would allow stakeholders to take stock of their role in the development of the sector. It is our hope that this forum will make a difference by turning commitments into action. We need to formulate sustainable solutions that will unleash Zambia’s potential to become the region’s food basket. We are therefore excited to be working with the NEPAD Business Foundation who ensure there is regional private sector and government support in order for projects developed to have meaningful national and regional impact.”
The all-day event will be held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Lusaka on Thursday, August 29, 2013. Plans have already been made to host similar in-country initiatives in collaboration with development partners in Malawi.
