Peasant farmers oppose Namboard revival plans

THE National Association for Peasant and Small-Scale Farmers of Zambia (NAPSFZ) has said it is opposed to the suggestion to revive the defunct National Agriculture Marketing Board (Namboard).

Association President Roger Phiri said his association would continue supporting the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) maize marketing system and was ready to go into partnership with it.

Mr Phiri said in a statement in Lusaka yesterday that instead of agitating for the disbanding of FRA, the NAPSFZ would offer alternative solutions to improve maize marketing system in Zambia.

“The Namboard system of maize marketing was condemned by many that it was too big and had many functions outside maize buying and we all agreed to restructure the institution,” he said.

He said the Zambian farming community had not forgotten that they demanded the establishment of a new maize buying institution in the country arguing that the re-introduction of the Government maize board would reverse the earlier decision.

Mr Phiri said in a liberalised economy, any maize marketing system has teething problems and are expected when setting up a national maize buying institution like the FRA.

“It is better to offer alternative solutions to maize marketing system with relevant facts supporting argument for reviving an old maize marketing institution like Namboard,” he said.

Mr Phiri urged institutions in the agricultural industry not to mislead the Zambian people on maize marketing systems.

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