Government says it is ready to promote the advancement of cassava growing by peasant farmers to commercial farming in order to enhance the living standards of the people.
Samfya District Commissioner Nason Bwalya says this is made evident by the strides that government is currently undertaking of holding small holder agri-business promotion programs meant to promote the cassava value chain development.
Speaking this morning in Samfya district of Luapula Province when he officiated two-day at the cassava value chain innovation platform workshop Mr Bwalya said cassava is an important crop grown widely in Samfya and Luapula province which should be encouraged as it improves household food security.
He disclosed that government is looking forward to working with partners like International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and see how cassava value chain can be enhanced and citing the formation of the Cassava Innovation Platform (CIP) in 2014 as a stepping stone.
Mr Bwalya added that cassava the Innovation Platform is a body that oversees the implementation of cassava promotion programs, adding that about 40 farmers in Shimalingu, Lubwe, Chibuye, Fibalala and Mwansakombe are actively growing cassava.
He said in inspiring cassava growing during the 2014/2015 planting season the platform received about 625 bundles of improved cassava cuttings from International Institute for Tropical Agriculture and 25 hectares was cultivated.
Mr Bwalya said that many farmers were trained in cassava processing and utilization, clean planting materials and improved varieties being used.
The DC further commended Senior Chief Kalasa Mukoso of the Kabende speaking people and Chief Mwansakombe for attending the Cassava Innovation Platform meeting.
Meanwhile, Cassava Project Coordinator under IITA, Pheneas Ntawuruhunga, said the aim of the forum was to reduce high poverty levels in homes and identify, analyse roles and contributions of stakeholders on cassava commodity value chain.
Mr Ntawuruhunga called on farmers to make applications which will enable them access grants and enhance their living standards.
Here, here,
I can see cassava replacing copper as Zambia’s major export, within 5 years.
Well done President Lungu!
Viva PF!
Viva progress!
Viva enriching the masses!
Vote wisely on 11 August guys, bear this SALIENT fact in mind
What is the nutritional value of cassava? Government must instead advance the research in crops that have nutritional value. Unless we want to use it for bio fuel
Whatever, all I remember is HH recently talking about cassava while PF is doing it. The difference is clear, talking and doing.
SHARE BLOCK FARM PROJECTS ZAMBIA.
Empower 320 Small-Rural farmers to grow Cassava.
Who is eating Cassava in the 21st century? Cassava is loaded with anti-nutritional factors and toxin such as cyanide. What is wrong with this government? You fail to promote GM crops and opt for a poisonous plant. Mental !
@Ediga Luungu
You are brainwashed by the west…your ancestors have been eating this “poisonous” plant and processing it at home using basic equipment to extract its nutritional value. Your cousins in West Africa mix the green leaves with chicken/beef stew to make a highly nutritious meal; you do not know that by simply pounding the leaf you remove the cyanide and drastically reduce its toxicity. Even your white gods were surprised at how your ancestors were able to do this…you are happy to eat cassava based chips or tortilla because they are nicely packaged and placed on Walmart shelves forgetting that the principles used it possible were copied from your ancestors.
Wake up from your docility and study about self!!
I grew eating cassava and I still eat it..iwe koswe which poison is there? We even eat raw.