26/02/2026
ZAMBIA PUSHES FARM BLOCK DEVELOPMENT AND LAND EMPOWERMENT AT GLOBAL SUMMIT
Zambia is advancing its Farm Block Development Programme and land empowerment agenda at the Second International Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development, ICARRD+20, currently taking place in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.
Zambiaâs Ambassador to Brazil, His Excellency Lieutenant General Dennis Sitali Alibuzwi, is representing President Hakainde Hichilema at the global summit.
Ambassador Alibuzwi says one of the key focus areas of Zambiaâs participation is the promotion of the Farm Block Development Programme. He explains that under President Hichilemaâs leadership, government has prioritized the operationalization of farm blocks to transition Zambia from subsistence farming to large-scale commercial agro-industrialization.
The Ambassador notes that Zambia is positioning itself as a regional hub for agro-processing by providing serviced land with integrated infrastructure across various provinces. He adds that the country is utilizing its vast arable land to enhance national and regional food security amid global supply chain disruptions.
Meanwhile, Zambia is also using the ICARRD+20 platform to showcase progress in land empowerment.
Ambassador Alibuzwi reaffirmed governmentâs commitment to ensuring that land remains accessible to its rightful owners.
And speaking in a statement, Ambassador Alibuzwi said, quote, âLand is the primary tool for wealth creation. The Presidentâs vision is clear on land, we must empower our people, especially women and youths, through secure land tenure and systematic titling in order to give citizens collateral to access credit and participate fully in the economy,â end quote.
He further emphasized that Zambiaâs participation at the summit is a strategic opportunity to align national policies with the Cartagena Declaration, particularly in areas of water governance and soil restoration to ensure sustainable agricultural development.
The summit, running from 24th to 28th February 2026, brings together global leaders, policymakers and civil society to address challenges of land tenure, food sovereignty and rural poverty.
This is contained in a press statement issued to Oblate Radio Liseli by Lloyd Kapusa, First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the Zambian Mission in Brazil.