4th-5t October 2023-Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, Zambia. Zambia international agriculture and investment summit held the inaugural summit of its kind. The summit was organized by Pungwe Agri Group in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Zambia Development Agency, and the Zambia National Farmers Union.

The event was kicked off in grand style, officially opened by The Minister of Fisheries and Livestock, Makozo Chikote. Among the keynote speakers were the Chairman of Mulundu Holdings, Dr. Kombe, ZDA Director-General, Albert Halwampa, World Bank Zambia Country Manager, Dr. Ackim Fock, and Absa Bank Zambia Business Banking Director, Bruce Janni.

The summit was a two-day event that brought together leaders, investors, policymakers, and stakeholders from the agriculture sector to address critical issues and promote investments in agriculture and climate-smart food systems development. The summit gathered stakeholders from across the sector to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the agriculture sector and to develop solutions to promote investment and sustainable growth. The event featured high-level roundtable discussions, debates, presentations, and B2B meetings.

The remarkable event helped showcase Zambia's potential as an investment destination for agriculture and highlighted the government's commitment to supporting the sector. It provided a platform for investors to learn about potential investment opportunities in the Zambian agriculture sector and to network with potential partners.

The summit was a success, attracting over 500 participants from 20 countries. The event generated a lot of interest from investors, and several deals were signed during the summit.

A panel discussion on post-harvest raised various issues faced by farmers, such as storage. This was discussed and heavily echoed in interviews with various farmers at the event. The panel discussion had farmers and investors raise their concerns. While investors heavily spoke on data collection to bridge the gap in lack of research and data shared with investors, a concern raised was the lack of conditions within the farm sector, raising a cry for a well-coordinated system to ensure farmers are getting information across.

A spectacular moment towards the end of the event was held by Mr. Alexander Lawrence as he began to create partnerships between various stakeholders and farms within the auditorium while giving his speech and presentation. This particular session left everyone in awe due to the opportunities and connections he forged in the room, filling the gap between some farmers and investors, taking the first step by providing a point of contact.

ZIAFIS 2023 was a significant event for the Zambian agriculture sector. It provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the sector and to develop solutions to promote investment and sustainable growth. The summit also helped raise Zambia’s profile as an investment destination for agriculture.