DEPUTY Minister of Agriculture Maxas Ng’onga says the country will have good maize yields in six provinces despite the devastating drought that has hit some parts of the country.
Mr Ng’onga said in an interview in Lusaka on Monday that good maize yields are expected in Luapula, Central, Northern, Muchinga, Copperbelt and Eastern Provinces.
“We have encouraged farmers in provinces that have experienced poor rains to practise conservation farming. One of the things we have been encouraging them is to adopt products like cassava, beans and vegetables that are drought-resistant,’’ he said.
Mr Ng’onga assured farmers that Government has a good plan to ensure that no one starves, including people in drought-prone areas.
“Zambians should not panic, nobody will starve or die of hunger. Government will ensure that the food stocks in the country are not sold outside the country,’’ Mr Ng’onga said.
He is confident that the e-voucher system would be implemented better in the 2016/17 farming season as compared to the 2014/15 season.
“The e-voucher is a new system that was piloted in 13 districts, most of them in Southern Province. It has yielded positive results. The only place where we faced problems are Kalomo and Kabwe and it is because of the delays in printing and distributing the e-cards,’’ he said.
UPND suporters open your eyes. why should the harvest be poor only in your strong holds? North West and Luapula are in the same rain belt but different harvest. Naumfwa umwenso God is not with HH. lets learn to respect our God
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. THE RAIN PATTERN HAS BEEN POOR IN SOUTHERN PROVINCE YES IN THIS FARMING SEASON. BUT GOD HAS REMEMBERED US BECAUSE THE RAIN IS GOOD OF LATE AND THE HARVEST WILL BE GOOD.
It has nothing to do with GOD. If you are learned enough you will know that the South and western Parts of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana have always had relatively less rain than the Northern and Eastern Parts. Also North west soils are not as suitable for maize compared to Luapula- so the rain pattern is irrelevant for the maize harvest. It is not rocket science that when the overall rainfall is below normal the west and southern parts will be affected more but it does not mean the northern parts are getting their normal rainfall (but sufficient to support maize). Tragedy is that despite the good rainfall in the northern parts, people in that area are generally lazy and can not work the land, preferring to trade and being street -kids and as result the burden to feed Zambia had always…
Ifya kunya fye iwee Truly Tongan!
So what are you complaining about through UPND?
I can’t believe This Poster. @Truth stop it. You DO need to grow other foods and eat them if they are more conducive to the changes in Climate. DON’t be A DINOSAUR! Remember what happened to them when the climate changed…..YES EXTINCT. And stop it with the Tongas best of all tribes lark. It’s boring mate.
The problem with tribe thing is that despite knowing that these provinces will receive adequate rainfall they stiill took more farming in puts to thier provinces where it is not raining. Forget about tribe thing and take farming inputs to areas where it is raining.
Who are the “they” you are referring to? PF are in charge so don’t transfer the blame to ‘they’ who you allege took inputs to ‘thier [their] provinces where it is not raining’. For your information the deputy minister’s statement is a mere political statement not supported by what is happening on the ground. Typical of a disciple of someone who had comtempt and hatred for the three provinces, namely North-Western, Southern and Western.
Ba Mosco naimwe,why ukubika LESA muma Politikisi?The same God is going to teach you a Lesson @muma strong holds yaba UPND!!!!!!
Southern, Western and Northwestern only??? Something is wrong. I end here
People should take this deputy minister’s statement with a pinch of salt. It is influenced by political wishful thinking.
one thing we should understand is that the gvt is taking relief food to those drought hit areas but their mesiah has kept queit instead he must go to these places give them some maize using pipo not known to be politicians or upnd members
When did this fellow encourage anyone to grow drought resistant crops. These are programmes you roll out over a period of time. You don’t just wake up & make some silly statements.
The President has already issued a statement on how his govt intends to avert the expected hunger situation. Why are his juniors falling over themselves trying to contradict him. If his own appointed ministers don’t respect him how does he expect the general citizenry to.
These programmes have been there but people are reluctant to follow them. KK introduced the slogan, “Go Back to the Land” but people never went back to the land. Even provinces that ate cassava meal in colonial times and cassava was in abundance developed a taste for mealie meal. Cooperatives to boost agriculture were set up but the money was eaten. In Northern Province cows for cultivating land were eaten. No prosecutions were made. These were the fruits of independence and you wonder why Zambia is not developed. How do you introduce cassava in maize provinces when people in cassava provinces do not eat cassava nshima. Conservation farming is ok but it requires “political education”
there is nothing wrong @john ,the fact is that people in these regions did not ask God for the rains because they have their own small god who is going to give them food. when chakolwa asked all of us to pray they were busy laughing there lungs out.mugabe and museveni are also busy looking up for some divine help. fire fire fire
THIS SHOULD BE A WAKE UP CALL TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ZAMBIA THAT NEXT FARMING SEASON SHOULD BE CONCENTRATED IN THOSE REGIONS WITH GOOD RAINFALL. I DON’T SEE WHY LUAPULA PROVINCE AND OTHER MENTION ABOVE CANNOT BE TURNED INTO A GRAIN BELT RIGHT FROM NEXT FARMING SEASON WITH PROPER INVESTMENT INTO THESE PROVINCES. IT IS STUPEED HAVING TO INSIST ON ONE PROVINCE WHICH HAS NEVER HAD GOOD RAINFALL EVER SINCE. SOUTHERN PROVINCE SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON TOURISM, THOUGH THE NORTHERN PARTS OF ZAMBIA HAVE MORE THAN THE SOUTHERN BUT ONLY UN DEVELOPED.
you are right the southern regions has always been recieving low rainfall and the pipo in this region are the first ones to cry about hunger and starvetion let luapula take up the challenge and i strongly believe with the timely intervention by WFP is right move coz they have seen that the PF gvt is right direction to develop the nation in all sectors and provinces of the zambia which is plus with world bank chip in which simply means they have seen how we have managed to take development in all the regions we have a clear road map viva ECL viva PF nafuti nafuti
DO YOU KNOW ZAMBIA’S HISTORY? THE TONGAS ARE FARMERS, PERIOD! WHICH TRIBE IN ZAMBIA TAUGHT OTHER TRIBES HOW TO GROW GRAINS? WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, MAIZE IS THE STAPLE FOOD IN ZAMBIA. THIS SO-CALLED CASSAVA GROWING ON A LARGE SCALE CAN NEVER TAKE OFF IN ZAMBIA. FEW OF YOU GUYS DO EAT CASSAVA. AND IF SOUTHERN PROVINCE DOESN’T GROW ENOUGH MAIZE, THEN THE WHOLE COUNTRY STARVES. WHY DON’T YOU GUYS APPRECIATE TONGA INFLUENCE IN THE COUNTRY, ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES, ESPECIALLY IN THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR? WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS IN DENIAL?
DO YOU KNOW ZAMBIA’S HISTORY? THE TONGAS ARE FARMERS, PERIOD! WHICH TRIBE IN ZAMBIA TAUGHT OTHER TRIBES HOW TO GROW GRAINS? WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, MAIZE IS THE STAPLE FOOD IN ZAMBIA. THIS SO-CALLED CASSAVA GROWING ON A LARGE SCALE CAN NEVER TAKE OFF IN ZAMBIA. FEW OF YOU GUYS DO EAT CASSAVA. AND IF SOUTHERN PROVINCE DOESN’T GROW ENOUGH MAIZE, THEN THE WHOLE COUNTRY STARVES. WHY DON’T YOU GUYS APPRECIATE TONGA INFLUENCE IN THE COUNTRY, ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES, ESPECIALLY IN THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR? WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS IN DENIAL? REALITY IS THAT TONGAS ARE FARMERS AND FOOD PRODUCERS.
I feel very sorry for all the people here commenting on things that they do not understand.
1. Rain is not the only thing needed to grow maize. 2. High rainfall areas have leached soils, so need double amounts of lime and fertiliser.
3. Soils are sandy, unlike South where they have good amounts of clay.
4. Weeds grow much faster in high rainfall areas.
5. Rain after the crop has matured causes fungal rot.
Those are just some of the reasons maize is not a preferred crop. Those areas are better suited to crops like cassava.
Hope you have all learned something!
I reckon the rest of Zambian provinces should put Southerners and Northerners in a boxing ring and let the settle it out among themselves. Deck it guys
@Trury zambian, who told you that the pipo from north are lazy? Thats being stupid have you ever heard pipo from these regions cry for relief food even when there is poor rainfall? they are self reliant because of the good agricultural methods they use unlike the foolish southerners who have cut down all the trees. Infact there was a subtatntial number of maize harvested from Luapula and Northern last season because pipo there have released that agiculture is the way to go, so insult our intellegence.
@Truly zambian, who told you that pipo from the north are lazy? Have you ever head them cry for relief food when ever there is poor rainfall? They use good cultivation methodes unlike southerners who have cut down all the trees, infact during the last harvest season Luapula and northern had a substantial harverst of maize you check the facts with FRA becuase pipo there have realised that agriculture is the way to go, this season expect even more. Dont insult our intelligence instead advise you relatives in the south the importance of having trees.
The fact is that the tecnnocrats in govt prefer southern where it doesn’t rain.Even power deficit we are experiencing would have happened if govt invested in hydro power stations in Luapula,northern,cb and muchinga.These areas experice good rainfall every year.In luapula it starts raining in the end of September and ends in April.Why should u put all power station southern province?We are reaping what we sow coz of selfishness of some technocratic
The white man constructed a number of small hydro in northern Zambia viz Musonda Falls (5MW) in Luapula, Lusiwasi (12 MW) in Central Province and Luanzua (0.75MW) and Chishimba Falls (6MW) in N. Province run by NESCO (Northern Electricity Supply Corporation) the forerunner of ZESCO. There are other sites that can be developed but the ones on the Luapula river face problems because of civil strife in the Congo. These small hydros were neglected by ZESCO when it took over from NESCO. The water from Luapula river drains into the Congo river where the Inga site can generate 40,000 MW. Zambia’s hydro potential is only 6,000 MW. Hydro in the north is a viable option. ZESCO has awoken from its slumber and is increasing the capacities of the stations e.g. Lunzua from 0.75 MW to 14.5 MW.
Yes but the White Men you speak of of that time built those for limited citizens. Africans did not have water and electricity during those ages. Were segregated from the areas benefiting from this Hydrostatic of that time. Your tone to suggest that ZESCO just woke up! But they are expanding the number of people accessing electricity. Water into their homes since that time. The trouble is with the expansions.
Don’t know where iPad got Hydrostatic from!! Is it a word!
Viva El.We want G12 clause to be in da constitution
God is great. Water from the north flows down into Zambezi, Kafue, Luangwa and other networks. Zambezi will never run dry, so will Kafue. Irrigation is the way. Are you aware that some Tongas have migrated into Central province specifically Mpika, Serenje. They are plenty in Northern too.
In terms of food statistics, southern is still leading in most food crops. Kalomo for instance despite e-voucher will produce more than most districts in Zambia.
Farming is not about rainfall but planning and applying applicable farming systems.
I have just come from my retired uncle who settled in Lufwanyama from Siavonga, he expects humper harvest.
Thanks to the climate for migrating southern tribes into high rainfall areas. Shortly tribal voting will be thing of the past
God is great. Zambezi and Kafue rivers have many catchment areas, meaning water will still flow from north to south. Am aware there is another big project in the gorges of Livingstone to generate HEP.
My uncle from Namwala migrated some 10 years ago to Mkushi and he is doing so well. No province will belong to any tribe soon. Progressive Zambian will look for land anywhere where they deem fit.
Go to NW and see who are occupying Solwezi mines.
My other brother who retire from Kasama has settled there and married to a Bemba woman. The list is endless.
Shame on those advocating tribalism. My warning is stop cutting trees indiscriminately.
@Truth stop it. You DO need to grow other foods and eat them if they are more conducive to the changes in Climate. DON’t be A DINOSAUR! Remember what happened to them when the climate changed…..YES EXTINCT.