Defence forces in Africa urged to contribute to food security, GDP of respective countries

There is increased need for Defence Forces in Africa to have a paradigm shift by taking advantage of peace times to contribute not only to food security but also to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of their respective countries.

This is according to Zambia National Service (ZNS) Commander, Lieutenant General Maliti Solochi, who said this recently during his reciprocal visit to Malawi National Service (MNS).

The ZNS Commander also shared the message of the President Hakainde Hichilema whose thrust is for Zambia Defence Wings to create an atmosphere of unity in the region and build synergies with other military establishments to enhance the productivity of the Southern African region.

He pledged his Institution’s commitment to sharing tested production experience and expertise in agricultural production with MNS.

“ZNS will soon embark on the construction of bituminous standard roads and the service has ordered a number of asphalt-spraying equipment which he hoped will be delivered in two months’ time as part of efforts to reposition his Institution to be a major player in paved road construction,” Solochi said.

He called for enhanced collaboration between Zambia National Service and Malawi National Service that should see regular exchange of personnel to help build capacities of the two Military Wings to a level where they will be able to significantly impact the lives of both Zambians and Malawians.

Commenting on the ZNS Commander’s visit, MNS Commander Brigadier General, John Chaika, expressed gratitude to ZNS for the extraordinary support rendered to his institution since its establishment in 2020.

He said the support ZNS was extending to MNS in wheat production will go a long way in making his country food secure and inspire Malawians to engage into commercial farming.

And in receiving the ZNS Delegation, Malawi Defence Force (MDF) Deputy Commander, Lt Gen Paul Phiri, said his establishment wants to emulate what the Zambia Defence Force, through ZNS, was doing in areas of production and youth skills training.

Phiri described the combining of military, production and youth skills training as an impressive concept that MDF has borrowed.

Malawian Defence Minister, Harry Mkandawire, saluted the Zambian government for allowing ZNS to provide technical and human resource support to Malawi National Service’s efforts of becoming the production hub of Malawi.

“Government is indebted to ZNS for providing an Attaché and an Irrigation Engineer to MNS and for allowing four MNS personnel to undergo a six-month agricultural production apprenticeship programme in ZNS Units with agriculture departments,” he said.

Mkandawire said the gesture will go a long way in assisting the new Malawian Establishment break into the production of high-value crops such as wheat.

Among the projects the Commander visited included; bituminous road construction project, cannabis project and the MNS Gada Farm.

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