Government has allocated 7,400 metric tonnes of fertilizer and an additional 370 metric tones of seed to small scale farmers in Lusaka province for the 2009/2010 farming season.
About 37, 000 small scale farmers are targeted to benefit from the 3,700 metric tonnes D compound and 3,700 metric tonnes Urea fertilisers.
Lusaka Province Deputy Permanent Secretary, Chinjili Zulu, says government will continue supplying farming inputs at subsidized prices to small scale farmers in a bid to promote food security in the country.
Mr. Zulu said this yesterday in Chongwe district during the 83rd Lusaka Province Agricultural and Commercial Show under the theme “Challenge of Change”.
He has reiterated government’s commitment to promoting sustainable agriculture through crop diversification so that the sector contributes to the economic growth of the country.
Speaking earlier, Lusaka Province Agricultural and Commercial Show Chairperson, Eddie Namiluko, appealed to traditional leaders in the province to surrender sizable fertile lands for agricultural development.
Mr. Namiluko said the move will enhance agricultural activity and development thereby reducing poverty and hunger in the country.
He urged government to increase both the number of beneficiaries of the Fertilizer Support Programme (FSP) and the number of packs per farmer if they are to make a meaningful contribution to food production.
Mr. Namiluko has since appealed to government to expeditiously revise the FSP to ensure that loopholes that led to the abuse of the programme are sealed.
And government says over 77,000 vulnerable but viable farmers in Northern Province will benefit from this year’s subsidized inputs under the Fertilizer Support Programme.
Northern Province Minister, Charles Shawa, disclosed this when he officially opened the 39th Provincial Agricultural and Commercial Show under the theme “Challenge of Change,” held at Kasama sports stadium.
Mr Shawa said the increase in the number of beneficiaries follows Government decision to increase the fertilizer allocation to the province and also reduce the size of a pack from eight bags to four bags per person.
The Minister, further, said Government is considering using camp committees in the FSP input distribution to identify beneficiaries while approval shall be at provincial level, by the provincial agricultural committee.
He has since called for the immediate formation of the committee.
Mr Shawa has since warned beneficiaries against selling the subsidized inputs saying those who will do so, will be visited by the law.
He said Government is spending a lot of money on the subsidized inputs and does not expect anyone to sell the inputs.
Mr Shawa has, further, commended farmers in the province for their hard work which has resulted in increased crop production in the province.
He said according to the 2008/2009 crop forecast survey by Ministry of Agriculture through the Central Statistical office, the province is expected to produce 258,236metric tones of maize as compared to last season’s 171,232.
Mr Shawa added that Government is confident that with the increased fertilizer allocation this year, the province will produce more maize this farming season.
He has since advised farmers to start preparing by ensuring that they sell their produce at not less than the recommended K65, 000 per 50 Kilogramme bag of maize.
The minister warned that selling the maize below the recommended price will deprive the farmers of the economic benefit.
And show society Chairperson, Bernard Kaoma, urged farmers to take farming as a business and diversify their agricultural practices by growing different crops.
ZANIS
We had simillar figures last year only to be told that there was a shortage of maize afterwards. The figures after the harvest are more significant than those before.
nice development, but looking at the number of farmers “targeted”….hmmmm….it means 1 bag is fo 10 farmers……
Great development to learn about. Food is very essential for human physical growth and mental health. Job well done RB.
Ba LT we want topics like George Mpombo’s reported K100 million ($19,000) mobile phone roaming bill charged to the ministry of defence account. He is even defending it as having been accrued over a two year period. Such an abuse of public resources! Presumably this has only come to the fore because he has fallen out of favour with the powers that be. It makes you think that such abuse is widespread and swept under the carpet as long as you are part of the government.
George MPOMBO, I never trusted this guy. the name(MPOMBO) itself says it all. people are hungry for power out there, remember how he cried for LPM.
Spending money on fertilizers is a waste. What Zambia needs at this moment in time is technology. No matter how much fertilizers you subsidise, if farmers don’t know how to apply simple technology, like their western or South African counterparts, yields will never improve.
Sounds good…not an expert at farming. Long term we should also not neglect studying the Braziian economy and their approach to agriculture they have the same climate as Z and are booming in this sector
Sorry typo error in #7 I meant studying the Brazilian economy and agriculture sector