![\"Picture](\"http:\/\/www.iita.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/1024_DSCN1440-1077-x-808_0617.jpg\")
<\/a>and Dr Nhamo Nhamo.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Accompanying PS Musunga were Mr Raphael Mulenga, Chief Sports Development Officer, and Ms Grace Zimba, Senior Accountant. They were received by Dr David Chikoye, IITA\u2019s Director for Southern Africa; Dr Pheneas Ntawuruhunga, Cassava Breeder; Dr Nhamo Nhamo, Cassava Agronomist and coordinator of the Zambia Agripreneurs Program (ZAP); and Mr Jeffrey Oliver, Regional Communication Officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Chikoye briefed the visiting group about IITA, focusing on the budding Youth-in-Agriculture Program in Zambia. \u201cZAP is basically still in its initial stage. Your visit comes at a most opportune time as we are building the partnerships needed to push this initiative forward,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He further explained that the initiative was part of an umbrella program called IITA Youth Agripreneurs (IYA) that was started three years ago in Nigeria. IYA aims to tackle youth unemployment and the need to improve food security through increased agricultural production \u2013 objectives that, Dr Chikoye explained, ZAP also aims to achieve in Zambia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe MYS will definitely play a critical role in this effort,\u201d he emphasized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Further elaborating on the status of ZAP, Dr Nhamo said, \u201cJust 2 weeks ago in Livingstone, we coorganized a meeting-workshop with the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA) during which we brought together various stakeholders, including youth groups, to enlighten them about ZAP and come up with a draft implementation strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the MYS, PS Musunga said that her ministry had already started on a similar program. She explained: \u201cOn a 3,000-hectare resettlement scheme in Mwange, Mporokoso District, in the Northern province, we have established a youth resource and training center for young Zambians from within the district and adjacent areas on different aspects of crop production and utilization.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd since the area where the center is located was formerly a refugee camp, the basic infrastructure is already there. MYS is putting in resources to rehabilitate and upgrade some of the facilities, such as faculty buildings, schools, and hostels to cater for the trainees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe currently have about 100 young people at the resource center being trained on soybean production. We aim to increase the number to 500. We then plan to give 5 hectares to each successful trainee within the resettlement area to develop, with support, of course,\u201d the PS continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo better ensure the success of the program, we want to exp and into cassava production and, possibly, processing. And this is where we need your help. The people that we had previously talked to, and who referred us to you, said that IITA was the best in this regard,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asked what kind of support the ministry needed, the PS said, \u201cFor now, we need planting materials of improved cassava varieties, as well as training on good cultural and management practices.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Ntawuruhunga replied, \u201cIn Zambia, we have released seven improved varieties of cassava, so you have a choice depending on the qualities that you want or the intended use. Planting materials for these varieties are readily available. We can also provide clean (disease-free) planting materials for your use.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat we propose is that apart from providing improved cassava seeds and training the youth in planting and maintaining them at your center, IITA could also help MYS to establish a seed multiplication system at the training center to generate the needed number of planting materials, as well as providing the necessary training.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAdditionally, we could offer to train the youth in Mwange on cassava processing such as producing starch using simple mechanized equipment. We can also train them in producing various cassava-based food products such as bread and confectionary,\u201d Dr Ntawuruhunga added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been really good to have this exploratory talk with IITA,\u201d said PS Musunga. \u201cOn behalf of the ministry, I am inviting you to come and visit our youth resource center in Mwange so you can suggest what we could do to further improve the program.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am very excited about this potential partnership between IITA and MYS to get the Zambian youth actively engaged in agriculture for their own and the country\u2019s future. I am really looking forward to formalizing this collaboration,\u201d the PS concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For more information, please contact:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Andrea Gros, Head of Communication, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture a.gros@cgiar.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n