Cookies on African Food Network
We use essential cookies to make the site work. We would also like to set analytics cookies and advertising cookies, but only if you agree. You can choose each one separately. Read our cookie policy
Number 98 on the 2025 list
Reuben Mtolo is a minister of agriculture from Zambia, named to the AFN 100 in 2025 for leading a maize buying season that took in over 1.6 million tonnes from farmers.
Reuben Mtolo led Zambia's 2025 maize buying season. The Food Reserve Agency planned to buy 543,000 tonnes but took in 1,667,921 tonnes from 846,655 farmers, worth about K11.3 billion. In July 2025 he told Parliament that farmers who did not sell at least ten 50kg bags to the agency could lose their place on the Farmer Input Support Programme, tying state fertiliser support to the national food reserve.