ZAMBIA's agriculture sector has fundamentally remained unchanged for the last 50 years, Vice President Guy Scott has said.

Dr Scott said the country's agriculture sector had not moved forward and expressed hope that some of the problems in the sector would be addressed during the on-going 25th Commonwealth Agricultural Conference 2012 in Livingstone.

The Vice President was speaking in Livingstone at Zambezi Sun Hotel during the official opening of the 25th Commonwealth Agricultural Conference 2012.

"We have many problems in the agriculture sector in Zambia and some of the problems will be addressed here at the conference.

As Zambia, we are hoping to benefit from the conference because our agriculture sector has remained unchanged for 50 years," Dr Scott said in his brief address to the gathering.

In her keynote address to 25th Commonwealth Agricultural Conference delegates in Livingstone yesterday, Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth President Princess Anne said the gathering would promote knowledge transfer and boost food production in the agricultural sector.

Princess Anne said it was important to note that young people were getting interested to take part in the agricultural sector.

She said Zambia was the most appropriate country to host the 25th Commonwealth Agricultural Conference because the country was peaceful and it had rich soils as well as plenty of water among many other natural resources.

She also paid tribute to late First Lady Betty Kaunda whom she described as remarkable and powerful lady.

"Mrs Kaunda was supportive to her husband Dr Kenneth Kaunda and children. She was also the mother of Zambia and will be dearly missed," she said.

Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth chairperson Lord Vestey commended the Zambian Government and the Agricultural and Commercial Society of Zambia (ACSZ) for hosting the event as well as for facilitating tour of farms prior to the gathering.

ACSZ president Joseph Mwale said his organisation had worked tirelessly to make the conference a success after winning a bid to host it five years ago.

According to the programme, Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is one of the prominent personalities expected to make a presentation at the gathering.

Mr Tsvangirai is expected to make a presentation on Africa's role in world food production.