NEWLY-APPOINTED Eastern Province Minister Makebi Zulu has urged the people in the region to join hands and fight poverty through agriculture.
And the minister has pledged to help with developmental agenda in the province. The Minister said yesterday that agriculture could help to reduce poverty in the province and the country at large.
Mr Zulu said the people in the province were doing well in agriculture saying people should get fully involved in agricultural activities in order to sustain themselves.
He said the province being an agriculture hub, he would ensure that farming inputs were delivered on time as it was one of the provinces which was contributing to the national food basket.
The minister said Government was committed to ensuring that smallholder farmers have timely and affordable access to agricultural inputs.
“It is good that the Government has already delivered farming inputs in all the districts in Eastern Province. The Government has also increased the allocations of Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).This is commendable,” he said.
He also urged the farmers to diversify their farming in order to increase the capacity.
Mr Zulu said the farmers should engage into growing or various crops in an effort not to experience shortage of food as a result of dry spell during the rainy season.
The minister said he was aware that farmers could make the Chipata-Mchinji railway line viable once they increase their production as they could start transporting their produce using the rail.
And Mr Zulu called on the people of Eastern Province to continue working hard in order to foster developments.
He pledged to work hard to ensure that a university was built in the province. He assured that that development was meant for everyone adding that he would not rest but work hard for the people of the province.
Mr Zulu said his task was to ensure that development was taken most parts of the province.
He commended President Edgar Lungu for having faith in him to serve the people of Eastern Province as a Minister.
Mr Zulu said he was elated that President Lungu had shown confidence in him by appointing him as a Provincial Minister.
This is how dull these silly ministers are just good at making hollow utterances and not know their role…if you want to use agriculture to fight poverty implement policies that do that; thats your job not driving around like an Agricultural Officer accumulating allowances…do like the Great Thomas Sankara did by treating the Subsistence farmer like a king so they upgrade from Subsistence agriculture and produce more.
Work hard or smart??? P