Friday, March 29, 2024

Making a Case for the Zambian Farmer

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A farmer in Jiwundu Settlement Scheme in Solwezi district
A farmer in Jiwundu Settlement Scheme in Solwezi district

It’s time to stop pretending that things are ok under the PF. We are in a mess. This is why this week, by virtue of the Agriculture Commercial Society taking place and the Farmer’s day that falls today, I feel compelled to again speak about agriculture. The slogan by the Zambia National Farmers Union, “No farmer, no food”, can be extended by simply stating that if there is no food, there is no life. This is the crucial role that our farmers play in the country. This is the reason we equally have to look after them. A few days ago, farmers in France were protesting against the government’s bad policies that are killing their trade. The farmers started spraying manure in the centre of town to express their disgust and displeasure with their government. Should we wait until we are sprayed with manure for us to act in support of this very critical sector?

Farmers have received a raw deal from the very first day we reverted to multiparty politics. The first thing that was pulled beneath their feet was financing for their projects. The failure to capitalize Lima and Cooperative Bank by government was the first action that set farmers on a collision course with poverty. As though that was not enough, government carelessly introduced free market economics without the requisite legislation to regulate the actors. The free market economics hit the farmers first. All of a sudden farmers that had no skills to negotiate prices for their commodities were invaded with businessmen whose sole motive was making profits even if it meant killing the farmer in the process. And for sure agriculture from 1991 to about 2006 was none existent.

[pullquote]No farmer, no food[/pullquote]

Into 2011 and beyond, agriculture has again started suffering despite the gains made after 2006. From the time PF took over there has been inconsistency in policy. We will state it for the record that despite the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) having been a programme designed to alleviate suffering or rather vulnerable farmers, it has ended up serving the rich. The fertiliser and seed suppliers have become rich at the expense of the farmers for whom this project was designed. We spoke about this to MMD and now PF, but clearly our message is falling on deaf ears. How have the fertiliser and input suppliers benefitted – its simple, they supply at highly inflated prices and get paid. This is the kind of half measure that we warned about even at the time this project was launched. The government through Hon. Given Lubinda have told the farmers to sell to the private market as GRZ is not interested in their harvest.

The crop producers have much more to deal with than what we have captured above. But there are deeper problems for livestock farmers. Haphazard policies have hit this sector most. This coupled with the new phenomenon of load shedding. On the one hand the PF says it is restocking livestock; on the other hand there are not extension workers to ensure that farmers get the required support to ensure that those animals are looked after well. There is employment and wage freeze, yet the agriculture sector does not have enough manpower to make this sector thrive. What about those farmers that are rearing dairy animals? These have been hit by inconsistence from two fronts. They cannot store their milk without the milk going bad because of load shedding. Milk is very sensitive to temperature changes. If you want to see the extent of damage to this industry, just speak to the Dairy Association of Zambia, you will get startling information about the effect of load shedding on the dairy industry. The dairy industry also has to contend with rising costs of livestock feed. The millers have increased prices because of the increase in production costs driven by high fuel prices and the unfavorable kwacha/dollar exchange rate. Livestock feed producers import certain elements that go into feed production, with a dollar rate that is almost 8 kwacha to a dollar it only makes sense that they have increased their prices. This feed increase has also affected the broiler and egg producers negatively, while the Minister of Agriculture remains oblivious to this situation.

The PF does not care about farmers. The results of this agriculture season are telling a tale that we cannot ignore. A lot of excuses and theories are being forwarded about the seasonal performance. But we all know that with the right policies we would maintain the production levels without giving all the excuses that PF through the Ministry are giving. We have said this many times, and we shall not stop saying these things until UPND is elected in 2016:

  1. Market Linkage: Our farmers are suffering at the hands of crooks. The reason is simple, we have left the market unregulated to the point where those that have money have perpetually controlled it. We are toying around with our food basket to the point where FRA is saying we shall have no strategic reserves essentially. They are saying sell to the businessmen and we shall buy when everyone else has left. That is a dangerous way of handling our food.
  2. Extension Services: Our farmers need extension services. We have said this several times. These services will be for two purposes; livestock and crop extension services. The idea is to increase productivity, with the same package that they receive currently, the farmers can produce more and sell at a profit. We have always made that argument but it has fallen on deaf ears. Livestock farmers have lost their livestock because of bad management practices. They need extension services to ensure that those assets are properly harnessed to ensure steady income off-season.
  3. Value Addition: The other area that is of our concern is value addition. We have completely neglected this area of agriculture. Farmers grow maize for the sole purpose of selling it as raw maize. A 50 kg bag of maize bran (a by product of maize cleaning an milling) sells for 50 kwacha. This is something that farmers themselves can derive out of cleaning the maize they grow. They are currently not able to do that because of lack of equipment, which can only be sourced if they have access to affordable credit. There are several other value addition initiatives that we could talk about.
  4. Affordable Credit: Farming is a very expensive undertaking. One needs heavy capital investment before they can start making profits. This affordable credit is not there. The base rate by the Bank of Zambia is 12.5%, the commercial banks are charging as high as 25%. Part of the reasons is the high level of government borrowing. The moment government stops borrowing the interest rates will start falling.

We would like to assure all the farmers that with a UPND government all the above and more is going to be done. Your job is simple, vote for us and the rest will be done by your government. UPND takes you seriously because as we stated at the outset of this article, “No farmer, no food” and it goes without saying “No life”.

Hakainde Hichilema
“Together, we can”

___________________________

Issued by: UPND National Campaign Centre, Lusaka

10 COMMENTS

    • How can a country with over 700 000 sq km of fertile arable land, about 40% of water in Southern Africa fail to produce enough food to feed it’s people. Truth is Zambia can feed the entire Southern African if we put our heads together. Not this fist clinching self confessed no vision leadership we have….

  1. Very well articulated article. I enjoyed every part of it. While it’s true that GOVERNMENT policies are vital fir the prosperity of agriculture sector, its important for the majority of Zambians’ to mature and start investing in agriculture. While most of us would rather build chains of lodges and houses, very few are taking the risk to invest in food production or generally aagriculture. Given current trend and investment priority of our people, foreigners would continue to exploit and benefit from any smart policies if any that the GRZ would come up with. Zambians are taking after Congolese and Nigerians looking for get rich quick investments and businesses of which farming is naturally not one of them. Farming requires patience and ssacrifice all which nay not be taught by government

  2. How could we recapitalize lima bank when some of you were very happy to see lima go under because you wanted to buy lima property cheaply

  3. I like the subtlety in HH’s statement about french farmers but he is right.
    If we do not push govt to deliver what we expect them to they will sit back.
    Even HH when elected will need to be prodded for him to deliver. The onus is on us the general citizenry to start demanding that the politicians work for us.
    MPs are increasing their salaries but are their deliverables commensurate with their demands, who is checking them. NO ONE. We are all ndwiii ati 2016.
    Get off that couch & spray some manure.
    I don’t agree with HH when he talks of crooks buying maize. They are just profiteers taking advantage of weak systems.

  4. This is nonsense I can’t c real solutions to the farmer in the article. On market linkages what specific workable measures are u proposing? On Extension services what are u looking at to make it effective? Hope u know that MAL still employ certificate holders as front line staff. Do u plan to push the entry qualifications to Diploma. On affordable credit what are proposing? Do u know that most small farmers luck collateral?
    In short u are basically complaining instead of providing solutions. Am even dissapointed the first comment ati spot on! This crap.

  5. Farming is the largest employer in North-Western Rhodesia. 90% of villagers get their income from farming.

    Without capitalization, farmers are incapacitated especially that it’s seasonal. Payment comes once in a year.

    Marketing is challenging as most products are perishable. Failure by FRA to manage & construct grain silos has impacted the farmer negatively

    Failure by Govt to manage our water resources by construction of small dams to supply water all-year round is another factor that needs addressing. If the money spent on Lusaka Compound roads was spent on building 200 mini-dams & tarred feeder roads, tarred roads in Kafue & Luangwa National Parks etc, the benefits would be seen in just months. Kombonies are not productive areas but mere consumers

  6. I have not seen any solution to those problems you have itemized MR. HH. My question is what do you propose you will do to arrest all these inadequacies ?

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