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President Hakainde Hichilema says Zambia should be allowed to include new pressing issues when the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact agreement is finally implemented.
Hichilema told the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) that Zambia should be allowed to include new pressing issues that may not have been a priority when the deal was initially signed.
Read more: President Hichilema calls for amendment of laws limiting growth in agriculture sector
He said this when MCC Vice President for Compact Operations, Cameron Alford, paid a call on him at State House on Friday.
Hichilema spoke on the need to increase the resource envelope in order to cater for new targets in areas such as agriculture.
The Head of State informed the delegation from MCC that the government planned to increase maize and wheat production to 10 million tonnes and one million tonnes respectively.
The President wanted steady progress to be made before full implementation was attained.
“We have needs, those needs will be better met once we accelerate all the steps that are required which will lead us into implementation,” Hichilema said.
Speaking earlier, Millennium Challenge Corporation Vice President for Compact Operations, Cameron Alford, said the institution was focusing on supporting Zambia in the road sector and improving the agriculture sector.
Alford said MCC wanted to help Zambia increase access to agriculture production.
He said the institution would help Zambia achieve reforms under the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
“There are reforms around Food Reserve Agency (FRA) which I know are critical to identify improvements an efficiencies within FRA, as well as a farm to market programme where we can build on and leverage some of the capital inputs, electricity, irrigation and logistics that will help compliment some of the programme’s initiatives,” he informed the President.
Government and the Millennium Challenge Corporation signed the first amendment agreement on Friday aimed at increasing grant funding.
This would facilitate the development of the Second Compact.
The Agreement seeks to increase funding from US$8.3-million to US$12 million.
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