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The agriculture industry is a critical sector for employment creation in the country as the Government targets an upper-middle income economy by 2030.

In an interview the Agricultural Rural Development Authority (ARDA) chairman Mr Irvine Craig said that agriculture is a low hanging fruit in terms of creating employment through value chain participation.

“There is a very big gap in agriculture value chain more from production, marketing and value addition the environment is good and open for everyone to participate,” said Mr Craig.

The thrust of value chain participation is aimed at pushing the Government’s Devolution Agenda towards Rural industrialization of marginalised rural communities with no access to capital and promote employment creation.

To add on, the Government through the policy of binding the private sector to fund 40 percent production of its raw materials locally has been able to motivate contract farming from key buyers. Therefore, enabling the Ministry’s vision of transforming the industry into becoming more business oriented through such interlinking ‘farm to industry’ initiatives.

“The value addition now more possible with the import substitution thrust that seek to empower local manufactures and producers to produce that which can be consumed by the industry,” said Mr Craig.

The Government is urging prospective farmers to participate in the agriculture value chain subspace to enhance the business aspect of primary production.

“The agricultural sector remains the backbone of the economy as it provides raw material for the processing industry,” said Mr Craig.

More so, ARDA has 450 irrigation schemes with business scheme managers that assist in ensuring profitability and business continuity of the schemes.

“ARDA business managers were deployed by the Government to assist farmers to run their farming businesses to achieve profitability and ensure continuous production on the irrigation schemes,” said Mr Craig.

The Government is mainstreaming the notion of market driven agriculture at the heart of all agriculture processes through vigorous market surveys so that farmers can develop an appetite to produce that which is not available.

“The Agriculture and Marketing Authority(AMA) is set to structure strategic domestic, regional and international market linkages for the produce that will be produced from the irrigation schemes,” said Mr Craig.

In addition, the Ministry making forward strides towards transform the agriculture sector in line with modern business practices which is set to enhance employment creation.

Recently the permanent secretary of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Dr John Basera remarked that the agriculture sector is a pivotal industry in the acceleration of Vision 2030 as it attends to rural development, inclusive growth and transformation of livelihoods.