Chemicals on display during the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP)
E- Voucher launch at Mpima dairy in Kabwe on Saturday
Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda has assured that Zambia is still food secure despite low rainfall being recorded in most parts of the country.
Mr Lubinda observed that the Zambian Government will not allow any Zambian to starve in an event of a drought this rainy season.
He however stated that the northern parts of Zambia have been receiving normal rainfall so far.
Mr Lubinda hoped that the above normal rainfall recorded in places such as Muchinga and Northern and some parts of the Copperbelt could result in sufficient production of food crops to last till the next harvest.
He was speaking in Lusaka on Saturday when he addressed a PF General’s forum on the state of the agriculture sector.
‘The reports we are receiving as a Ministry is that the Northern parts are doing Ok so far with regard to rainfall recorded. I am not personally bothered with the dryness we are seeing in Lusaka because we will have sufficient food,’ Mr Lubinda said.
‘In any case, if we do have a drought, there is nothing that will stop this Government from importing food from neighbouring countries because Zambia has been exporting to most of its neighbours in the recent past, there is nothing shameful about importing food,’ Mr Lubinda said.
Mr Lubinda also lashed out at some civil society organisations accusing them of spreading alarming reports about the country’s food situation.
He said CSO’s should desist from alarming the public about the food situation by issuing what he called unverified reports.
Says the guy with the BIG pot belly…really laughable!!
“He said CSO’s should desist from alarming the public about the food situation by issuing what he called unverified reports.”
so you mean all those mathematicians at CSO are lying??? that’s why i hate politicians
GIVEN, AT ONE TIME I RESPECTED YOU. NOT ANYMORE BECAUSE YOU HAVE JOINED POLITICS OF SELF SURVIVAL. MANY SMALL SCALE FARMERS HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE SEED AND FERTILIZER YET IN KABWE SO PLEASE STOP LYING. NEXT YEAR ZAMBIA WILL GO THROUGH HUNGER LIKE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE IN THE 51 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE. ALREADY ONE FACTOR AGAINST YOUR STATEMENT IS THE POOR RAINFALL.
I agree- we are exporting all the maize we have in stock to south africa – i have seen many many many zambian trucks on the road in south africa full of maize. there is no rain in the southern province so crops are alteady dying – how then can there be no food shortage ?
Viva PF
Viva HE President Lungu
Viva Hon Kambwile
Viva Hon Lubinda
It could have been the slip of the tongue. He meant to say, there will be no maize and not hunger,because hunger has been here since August last year (2015). Let him visit the compounds and villages.
Religion is a barrier to the pursuit of knowledge
Religion is a barrier to the pursuit of knowledge. Religion can cause laziness – praying instead of working. Religion wastes time in schools. I attended a catholic school and an absurd amount of time was wasted on religion rather than education. Religion needs to be forced out of schools to promote education.
Comment:
Mr lubinda he is a crazy man,n in short politics is a dirty game.
(1) farmers ar evrywer crying and he is busy saying dat they will b no hunger,meanwhile the fertiliser prizes have raised lyk no mans busness, so hw ar the pipo goin 2 survive wen they dont hav fertilizer? Bwana lubinda think b 4 u speak dont speak bcoz of politics bt speak about real things and hw we can can fight against poverty.
(2) FRA dint buy enough maize last year,hw can we fight poverty?
(3) jala yeve iliko whether u lyk it or not
..its not always the abundance of maize which guarantees food on the table….maybe with farmers or the well to do like the very potbellied Lubinda…..think of people especially those in shanty compounds or high density areas ability to buy the high priced mealie-meal…..despite the abundance of schools, we still have children not going to school because parents or guardians cannot afford the fees or uniforms…..Lubinda cannot believe that there are people who walk from Kalingalinga to COMESA market to and fro every day despite plenty of minibuses around…..
Hon Minister. The Muchingas and Northerns are not maize producing areas. Zambias maize comes from Southern 30% Eastern 25% and Central 15%. These 3 provinces account for 70% of our maize crop. You are exporting (even today) at $150 per ton, but import cost is close to $350 per ton. Why not keep your current stocks and stop exports. Zambia, enjoy yellow nshima
Anyone interested in SADC maize position should read Famine Early Warning Networks monthly report on the web. The Minister will be shocked with their view on Zambias food security. Drought coupled with fertiliser pricing will result in importation of 500,000 tons maize. SAfrica already started importing over a million tons.
Load shedding to intensify with low rainfall in Zambezi catchment area.