UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has warned Zambians to consider stocking up enough food especially maize at household levels and only sell that which is really in excess.
Mr. Hichilema said this is in light of the World Meteorological Organisation forecast that a 70 percent chances of recurrence of the EL Nino weather conditions for 2018 and 2019 season.
He further advised Zambians to consider venturing into drought resistance crops like millet, sorghum and cassava.
He said Zambians must consider diversification programmes at personal level into say livestock.
“We all know that we have a regime that thrives in dealing in fire fighting and knee jerk measures with the ultimate purpose of benefiting through corruption,” he stated.
“Highly reputable World weather forecast organizations have sounded the warning and like Joseph of the Old Testament did, we in the UPND have now done our part in warning citizens and those controlling national resources on the practical measures that must be undertaken to achieve the intended objectives for the benefit of all our people,” he said.
“The purpose of such forecasts is not necessarily to scare people, but to warn World communities especially those with vulnerable and poor economies like ourselves, to brace for eventualities so that we make adequate mitigatory measures to counter the effects of the weather. As we may know, EL Nino causes severe weather conditions that can gravely affect food security in the country and at households,” he said.
He added, “it is in view of foregoing that we would like to urge those in-charge of the national resources and the citizens at large to take practical steps in case of the recurrence of the EL Nino conditions. For those controlling national resources, it is important that they mop up all excess and uncollected maize and other crops around the country at attractive prices to the farmers and place them as strategic reserves.”
Mr. Hichilema said government must avoid at all cost the temptation of exporting maize and other crops as this may affect the strategic food security reserves.
“We must invest in better weather monitoring technology and improve our collaboration with experts in the field in order to improve our preparedness for uncertain times. This will also advantage our farming communities and empower them with well informed decisions pro actively,” Mr Hichilema said.
Is he the only one reading the meteorological reports? In any case only people who don’t think sell all their produce.
Very logical advice from HH. It is not his fault that you have put cotton wool in your ears.
@Caleb, let him talk about what is actually there eg there are breakouts of chorela and Ebola in neighboring Zimbabwe and DRC respectively. Or he’s only concerned with scoring points by predicting the future? Zambians already know how to stock food. We’ve had adverse phenomena before and government has always been up to it. There’s no cotton wool in anybodys ears.
Impressive sounding from the opposition.
I think this new HH obsession of El Nino is better than elections petition crap.
Now I can read his stories.
Did you notice that HH’s worshipers rarely come to his stories because they believe their god is nuts too. But they like were the President is.
Animo Farm has spoken. The god of the tribal union of zambia.
We is now campaigning to be appointed as Minister of Agriculture after so many failed election attempts. He has realized that Zambians can not give him presidency with ZERO experience in government. My advice to HH is to go and stand as a counselor in Namwala or Dundumwezi then we pick it up from there.
Ndanje masquareding as kci, please stop it. Just behave, you loose nothing. Can you please leave HH alone. Mulekeni munthu please
Sorry I am not as cheap as you. I don’t use aliases I use my real name. Hope the real Kci can defend himself. No wonder Upnd wins elections on social media. …it’s this kind of attitude of Mr know it all.
@Ndanje Khakis, I ve always been kci. People that likes accusing others just expose their own cheap tactics.
He is not forcing you to do it, but just advising you to consider.
As usual to some of you. When he is not giving advise to the likes of you, you complain that he is just criticising, when he advises govt, again you deride him.
Zambians are usually polarised.
We want to take everything as politics;
I urge this govt to listen to his wise counsel for their own good. If they don’t one day they will live to regret and wished they had heeded these words. The weather today is so unpredictable and yet we want to be so proud and think we are the know it all…Shame
Actually, HH warned you of debt managenet 2 years ago, you didnt listen, thats what visionaries do, they forecast situations …… Good luck in Chambia
the worse is yet to come, everything is in a mess and they can not be a smoke with out fire it’s see what happens with the ZESCO thing though Dora is saying all is well
I’m sure that’s your everyday wish. …the worst to happen to this great nation.
El Niño no longer predicted for South Africa
According to Farmers’ Weekly, this meant that neither La Niña nor El Niño events were predicted, and that ENSO was unlikely to directly influence Southern Africa’s summer rainfall areas.
Observations showed that ENSO was gradually cooling towards the neutral phase, and forecasts suggested that it would remain in a neutral phase in the coming months. Cobus explained:
“The likelihood for an El Niño event has decreased further from previous assessments, and as we are near the start of spring, the current forecasts tend to be more reliable.”
Indications were that above average rainfall could be expected during early spring in the south-western parts of the country. Olivier said drought conditions could, nevertheless, still occur in…
Heeding Mr HH’s call is still a wise advise despite the your latest information. Weather forecasting relies on probability of an event occurring after processing a large amount of information using very powerful computers. Its not an exact science”. Otherwise America could have evacuated 2 years ago for their current incremental weather demise. Even your language above and I quote in part “The likelihood for an El Niño event has decreased” and “drought conditions could, nevertheless, still occur in…” is a disclaimer that should the event manifest , never say you were NOT warned. In this new age of climatic change we should NOT be eager to take an easier route. Maybe those dismissing the likelihood, should start NATIONAL PRAYERS now and NOW when we are the thick of things…
We don’t need your politicking prophecy Under 5. Leave it to the experts at DMMU.
He’s tried petitions, calling on foreign organizations, foreign opposition parties, violence and now predictions.
He still got a long way to go. One would feel sorry for him.
HH is advising those who are intelligent. The F.O.O.L s are complaining
You think he’s smarter than all other Zambians. He thinks he’s smarter than everyone else.
Zambians can’t relate with your message of calling yourselves intelligent and describing everyone else as F00LS.
We can’t vote for you or Larry Mweetwa or your cousin Lloyd at Zambian Witch Doctor.
In 2016, 50% + 1 Zambians voted your Akainde Under 5 small ‘god’ into oblivion and the same majority 50% + 1 will again show him in 2021. He is a pathetic failure at politics
HH is advising his tribal union! They always see sense in his fuulishness.
Ah Adolf welcome back to the platform after those resounding losses in the by elections. Since you are telling the electorate to consider stocking food for the future. Heed our advise too please consider calling a convention quickly and lets renew the mandate from the base up…but as you still looking to ‘grab’ the most important position and consider ‘Parly seats’ not so important….look to 2021 what do you see??? Incase you are out of focus ‘another loss’
Leave HH alone, he has millions of followers to advise. After all you people in PF, can not be advised you are like bewitched, look what you voted for. A government selling national assets, is the best thing people under a spell can get, it will be not long Zambia will top the list of poorest countries. 2021, UPND will rule voted out of hunger.
THE PEOPLE WHO CRITICIZE HH ARE DUNDERHEADS AND DO NOT REASON WELL. ALL MILLERS ARE BUYING MAIZE FROM THE FARMERS BETWEEN K85 AND K90 PER 50KG WHEN YOUR FRA IS BUYING MAIZE TO THOSE WHO ARE DESPERATE POOR FARMERS AT K70 PER 50 KG. YOU PEOPLE IN TOWNS DO NOT GROW MAIZE AND HAVE NO PLAN ON YOUR FRA. WHAT DO YOU THINK MAIZE MEAL WILL BE COME DECEMBER WHEN ALL THE MILLERS HAVE THEIR MAIZE IN STOCK AND WHEN YOUR PF WITH NO PLAN GOVERNANCE WILL FORCE ANY OTHER FARMER NOT TO SALE MAIZE OUTSIDE THIS COUNTRY? MEALIE- MILL WILL COST K120 AND AND K150 PER 25KG. MARK MY WORDS.
HH thinks he knows better than the thousands of experts we have.
I hope to see UPND cadres stocking maize
He started well but he has ruined the statement due to politicking.
Sometimes you can just talk about mother nature.
YOU WILL BE ASTONISHED TO HEAR OTHER UNREASONING POOR AND DULL GUYS SAY WE SHALL EAT RICE WHICH THEY HAVE NEVER BOUGHT FOR CONSUMPTION IN THEIR HOMES. HOW MUCH IS A 10 KG RICE AND HOW LONG WILL YOU USE IN A FAMILY OF SEVEN? VABUPUBA MUSIYE
The speech by Hakainde was so normal that I thought the man has really changed or graduated from under five, until I came to the following paragraph”“We all know that we have a regime that thrives in dealing in fire fighting and knee jerk measures with the ultimate purpose of benefiting through corruption,” he stated.” This man never seazes to spoil his opportunities. Do you really have to be that negative to an extent that anything you say you have to couple it with condemning your opponents? very shallow thinking for someone aspiring to occupy the highest office in the land. Can some self sane soul in this UPND party advise this man to tone down and come to reality! You can still get credity by just advising the people without firing BLUNKS at your opponent.
HH even though you are under five please give us meaningful competition and not these cheap ones. Zambians want someone who will speak big things. Instead of you encouraging irrigation type of farming using the so many lakes and rivers we have you want us to stock. Imagine with this type of thinking if HH was a president in the desert how people would suffer. Think big baba and stop thinking like a councillor. Learn to identify opportunities. Zambians would benefit if you advised them to use irrigation during drought
Just because there are no rains doesn’t mean one can’t grow crops. Just because we live in a rain built area doesn’t mean we can’t adjust. This man lacks advisors. This time your speech should have been about how you will make farmers grow crops in all seasons and feed not only Zambia but Africa not only Africa but the world. Joseph was able to stock because he had no means of growing crops all season but sure with all the technology and rivers and lakes honestly a person who is eying the presidency can think this low sure. I feel sorry for UNPD
Mr Real Zambian you are out of line in your conclusion. I however agree with you that Zambia is blessed with lots of water and fertile land by Bashi Emmanuel ( Jesus). other countries in the NORTH of Africa, especially,EL Nino is a never ending event . Our Ministry of Religion should ask for NATIONAL PRAYERS to thank Him for this gift. The PF and its Government should be the one to teach and support farmers to grow food using this precious gift. Unless you live in a parallel Zambia, Ministry of Agriculture especially under Dora Siliya messed up our farmers BIG TIME by providing inputs late and in most cases never at all. HH whether you like or hate him is a celebrated farmer. GBM his deputy is/was successful agriculture value add farmer too . Its NOT long ago, when PF cadres…
Nfwiti HH Uyo
If only CHILDISH would go far away, Zambia would be a better place to live in!
The observation might be correct but may be the policy advice could have been much more its not hunger simply read this extract and see regards at-least for once the tone and advise in the right direction
“When a “solution” to a problem causes more damage than the problem, policy making has gone awry. That’s where we often find ourselves with global warming today.
Activist organizations like Worldwatch argue that higher temperatures will make more people hungry, so drastic carbon cuts are needed. But a comprehensive new study published in Nature Climate Change led by researchers from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis has found that strong global climate action would cause far more hunger and food insecurity than climate…