APPLICATION OF AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (ATMP) IN ZAMBIA

KAPILA P., HAVRLAND B., KREPL V., AL-HAKIM H.

Abstract
In modern so-called sustainable agriculture, we are faced with the task of how to cost-effectively and environmentally friendly produce the much needed food for man. The world we live in is unfortunately divided in the haves and the have-nots. The subsidies in agriculture in the developed world distort the would be optimum conditions for free competition of agricultural commodities on the world market. Less developed world agriculture produce with almost no subsidies. There is no hope that the developed world can stop subsidizing their agriculture, despite calls for them to do that. What can be done for now, is to find means of how to reduce the cost of production in these areas and improve timeliness aspects of production. ATMP Program as agricultural technology management facilitator can highly contribute in finding positive solutions. It can help formulate appropriate field crop technologies, which offer the best competitive modes of machinery utilization. The article refers on progress made in Zambia and results achieved during testing the ATMP Program in the field.

Keywords:
ATMP, Agricultural Technology Management Programme, sustainable agriculture, subsidies, field crop technologies, cost of production, timeliness

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