Hichilema Celebrates Record Maize Harvest

President Hakainde Hichilema has announced that Zambia is on track to record the largest maize harvest in its history, offering a much-needed reprieve after the 2023–2024 drought.

Speaking during a national thanksgiving service in Lusaka, President Hichilema led the congregation in an offering of gratitude and praised the country’s farmers for their resilience. Despite the setbacks of last season’s drought, he commended them for replanting in the 2024–2025 farming season and demonstrating unwavering determination.

Looking to the future, the President encouraged all Zambians to grow food, even if just for personal consumption, and to make full use of available government support through the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) and Constituency Development Fund (CDF) loans. He also noted a cleanup of the FISP system, revealing that 200,000 individuals who were misusing the programme had been removed to ensure fairness and efficiency.

President Hichilema extended heartfelt thanks to the Church, NGOs and Cooperating Partners for delivering food aid to Zambia’s most vulnerable communities during the drought. Their coordinated efforts have significantly improved regional food security during a time of great need.

He thanked God for the return of the rains and the promise of a bountiful harvest, declaring that just as God has been faithful to the land of Zambia, its people must remain faithful to Him in return.

Hichilema called for unity, love and continued hard work: “Let love reign in our country. Where there is love, we conquer everything.”