{"id":359940,"url":"http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/359940/?format=json","text_counter":36,"type":"other","speaker_name":"","speaker_title":"","speaker":null,"content":"of Agriculture on National Rice Development Strategy; further aware that locally produced rice is of high quality compared to imported rice and it is preferred by the consumers; and further appreciating that with improved water harvesting and innovative management technologies the current irrigation potential of about 540,000 hectares can be increased by a further 800, 000 hectares to 1.3 million hectares, this House urges the Government to consider increasing the acreage of both irrigated and rain- fed rice production by 800,000 hectares in order to promote increased production of rice which will ensure food security and save the much needed foreign exchange."}