Friday, March 29, 2024

Next farming season will be better than the current one-President Lungu

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EASTERN Province Agricultural Coordinator, Roy Lumamba explains to President Edgar Lungu, when the Head of State inspected fields affected by Army Worms in Lundazi of Saturday. PICTURE BY STEPHEN MUKOBEKO/ZANIS
EASTERN Province Agricultural Coordinator, Roy Lumamba explains to President Edgar Lungu, when the Head of State inspected fields affected by Army Worms in Lundazi of Saturday. PICTURE BY STEPHEN MUKOBEKO/ZANIS
President Edgar Lungu has assured the nation that the next farming season will be better than the current one. The President says government has learnt lessons from the challenges which have been experienced this year.

Speaking in Chipata when he met commercial banks representatives and agro dealers, President Lungu said the challenges experienced with the e-voucher system this year are being addressed to ensure a smooth delivery of inputs for the next farming season.

President Lungu has also encouraged commercial banks and agro dealers to support farmers by investing in the agriculture sector. He said banks and agro dealers must encourage crop diversification and offer affordable loans.

President Lungu also urged farmers in Eastern Province to take advantage of the new railway line which will connect the area to the TAZARA railway line by growing more food for national consumption.

And commercial banks have attributed the challenges faced with the e-voucher system to late activation of the cards. ZANACO Chipata Branch Manager Botha Lungu said his bank received instructions to activate the system late.

Paul Moyo the Barclays Bank Chipata branch manager said his bank could only distribute point of sale machines upon demand.

And NATSAVE Branch Manager Justine Kapumbu assured President Lungu that the bank has finances to help farmers migrate from hand hoes to using farming equipment.

And Zambia National Farmers Union-ZNFU- representative Virgil Malambo urged banks to be proactive and handle issues concerning farmers with diligence.

Mr. Malambo said conditions such as collateral have made it difficult for farmers to access loans.

Meanwhile, President Edgar Lungu has said that it is imperative for his cabinet ministers to get on the ground and check on what is happening in various parts of the country.

President Lungu said that ministers and other government officials need to get first hand information. Speaking upon arrival in Katete District, President Lungu also warned that he will not hesitate to fire people who are failing in their duties and letting the country down.

He said this is the reason he has undertaken a fact finding tour of Eastern Province

23 COMMENTS

  1. in as much as i want to give you a benefit of doubt sir, the story of PF with farming is nothing short of a scandal. populist politics and farming don’t go together. farming requires proactive measures, PF unfortunately plays by knee jerk reactions every time. i hope this will come true sir, only then will i swallow my words and publicly apologise.

    • Affordable farming loans at 40%? Unless you are growing marijuana or coca, there is no way you can make money. In Zambia interest rates are driven by govt borrowing. It is cheaper for banks to lend to govt through Treasury Bills and Govt Bonds than to private businesses if govt is crowding the private sector out of the money markets.

    • “President Lungu also warned that he will not hesitate to fire people who are failing in their duties and letting the country down.”
      Dola you are next. Where is the agric minister when the president is doing field inspections?

    • Next farming season?!
      What are you doing now?
      Late imputs arm worms and poor management!
      Tell people how you will sort out current problems it is poor management talking about the future but ignoring the present.
      ‘Truly l say to you’ this man has no vision !

    • These are the very hallmarks of leadership failure, he was busy flying around and forgot agriculture is our mainstay. Now he’s promising the future when in actuality people have to eat now!
      Who in their right mind would forget to make preparations for the farming season. This is a serious letdown.

  2. Always excuses, last time there was drought, this time inputs not delivered on time…a lazy person will find excuses at every turn…there are countries who produce more than us and dont rely on rains.

  3. SO CHIEF MUKUNI WAS RIGHT TO EXPOSE YOUR FAILURES? WHY DID YOU START CHEATING THAT SOUTHERN PROVINCE CHIEFS WERE TELLING FARMERS NOT TO GROW WHEN YOU KNOW YOUR PAGRIC STRATEGIES ARE USELESS?

  4. I think its difficult for Dora to get on the ground seeing as you are doing her job. It might be necessary for you to reshuffle your Cabinet, give her a different post and keep the agriculture ministry for yourself.

    • Lazy Lungu signed a binding pact with RB to deliver that Province to him…RB is the only one who can fire Dora not Lazy Lungu he is a tool …too weak and insecure.He can not cope with BUFFOON CK on CB imagine if Dora turned against him in the East.

  5. His already talking about 2021 elections, he’s already talking about next season. What’s wrong with this man. He doesn’t live in the present.

  6. Chagwa’s priorities are Whisky, Touring, & 2021.
    If this Clown of a President was as proactive on other pressing issues like he is when it comes to drinking, dancing, being a tourist & forever dreaming of 2021, ZAMBIA WOULD BE THE LAND OF MILK, HOPE, & HONEY!

  7. These guys!! EVERYTHING is done CHAOTICALLY!! We THOT when you get a FULL TERM you would PLAN and IMPLEMENT EFFECTIVELY, ALAS!! Now this one:”President Lungu also urged farmers in Eastern Province to take advantage of the new railway line which will connect the area to the TAZARA railway line by growing more food for national consumption” – you first incur a debt of $2.3bn to build a railway line and then start looking for its use! Why not PUT THE MONEY INTO THE NW RAILWAY TO SAVE THE SOLWEZI – CHINGOLA ROAD and OPEN THE SHORTER LOBITO-SOLWEZI ROUTE FOR IMPORTS AND EXPORTS? WHAT IS YOUR STRATEGY ON CROP DIVERSIFICATION AND LINKAGES TO EXTERNAL AGRIC MARKETS to “MAKE FARMING A BUSINESS” as you keep saying?

  8. The i.d.i.o.t has just simply acknowledged his government incompetency. What will make u perform well with same i.d.i.o.ts including u, when u are still not sure of next years rain pattern? make hay when the sun still shines!

  9. You lungu there is nothing you know about farming because you have no farm in your life. You are someone who was just picked from the bar all you know is beer nothing else. Even if you were here in eastern province and you gave our paramount chief mpezeni brown envelope, as the chief spokesman, the chief has told me that he is still not happy with you and he said that you pleaded with him that he should invite you to grace this year’s N’cwala traditional ceremony and that he should cancel the invitation for H.H.. But he has said that you are just wasting your money bribing him because in 2021 elections the paramount chief and all the Ngoni speaking people have settled for H.H. as president. You are a useless president! Machende yako!

  10. Lungu has also ENCOURAGED…instead of Lungu has directed
    Lungu has also URGED….
    Lungu has also ASSURED…, blah-blah

    What measures are being implemented to prevent late input deliveries? NONE!!
    What measures are being implemented to fight against ARMY WORMS next season. NONE!!

    LAZY-BUMZ is NOT a man of action. Hollow statements without any backbone. Assuring the nation without putting policies, directives, assigning personnel, appointing task-teams, making sure deliverables are identified & a timeline is agreed upon by all stakeholders. That is action, NOT urging, assuring, encouraging etc.

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