Viet Nam to support Zambia in agricultural transformation, with irrigation as key focus

On April 15 (local time), in Lusaka, the capital of the Republic of Zambia, Viet Nam’s South-South Cooperation Working Group held a meeting with Zambia’s Minister of Agriculture, Reuben Mtolo Phiri, to advance cooperation to develop a concrete, practical, and feasible MoU.

Just one month after discussions with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment leader on priority directions for agricultural cooperation, Zambia’s Ministry of Agriculture once again reaffirmed its determination to translate cooperation commitments with Viet Nam into reality.

Dr. Cao Duc Phat shared key outcomes of the delegation’s mission following a rapid field assessment in Zambia in April, highlighting the country’s significant potential for agricultural development.

According to him, the Zambian Government has demonstrated strong political commitment to agricultural transformation through the Comprehensive Agriculture Transformation Support Program. Zambia’s agricultural sector is increasingly asserting its role, with ample room to improve farmers’ incomes and livelihoods, while also laying a foundation for the development of industry and services.

The delegation conducted field visits in four localities: Livingstone, Mansa, Kasama, and Luapula, envisioning cooperative models that would be implemented across Zambia to ensure effectiveness and generate nationwide spillover benefits.

Mr. Phat noted that Zambia is developing several successful agricultural models, such as coffee and tilapia farming, while farmers are increasingly seeking to improve their livelihoods and shift toward value-chain-based production. In this context, rice and coffee value chains have been identified as key directions to enhance production efficiency and increase farmers’ incomes.

Zambia’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Reuben Mtolo Phiri, together with senior officials from relevant departments, listened to Dr. Cao Duc Phat’s remarks and emphasized that the country urgently needs to fully leverage its natural advantages for agricultural development, with the top priority being the improvement of people’s livelihoods.

He also observed that, during international study visits, including to Viet Nam and Brazil, each country offers different development models, but Viet Nam's model is more suitable for Zambia's practical conditions.

Through support from the World Bank (WB), Zambia has had the opportunity to learn from Vietnam’s experience and has identified many similarities in agricultural development, particularly the role of irrigation systems.

According to the Minister, one of Zambia’s biggest current challenges is that its irrigation infrastructure has not developed in line with its available natural water resources. This is considered a key bottleneck that needs to be addressed in order to improve agricultural productivity and efficiency.

Within the framework of the working session, both sides discussed the development of a MOU between the two Ministries, focusing on several areas, including: sharing of legal and regulatory frameworks; training of agricultural extension personnel; exchange of experts in rice, coffee, and irrigation system development; cooperation in research and land-use planning; and support for the private sector.

Pham Ngoc Mau, Deputy Director General of the International Cooperation Department and Head of the South - South Cooperation Working Group, stated: "Following this mission, the two Ministries will designate focal points to negotiate the MOU in detail, ensuring its substance, feasibility, and early implementation, in line with the directives of Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema."

The discussions in Lusaka were seen as a positive step forward, opening up prospects for deeper cooperation between Viet Nam and Zambia in the agricultural sector, with a focus on sustainable, efficient development that delivers tangible benefits to the people of both countries.

World Bank (WB) affirmed its readiness to support the Government of Zambia in its agricultural transformation process, particularly in the areas of training, research, and capacity building. The WB is also implementing programs to develop a young workforce, drawing on experiences from Vietnam and Brazil and adapting them to Zambia’s local context.