Germany has contributed US$10 million to support smallholder farmers affected by climate change in Zambia
And the United Nations World Food Programme says it welcomes a donation from Germany to assist over 104,000 smallholder farmers impacted by drought.
Mr Achim Burkart, Germany’s Ambassador to Zambia says addressing multiple vulnerabilities driven by conflict, climate change and the current COVID-19 health crisis requires joined efforts.
Mr Burkat expressed hope that this funding can support WFP, the Government and its partners in building more resilient communities.
He said the funding, from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the German Development Bank KfW, will allow WFP to help smallholder farmers to recover from drought and enhance their ability to withstand future climate shocks.
And WFP Country Representative Jennifer Bitonde said this generous contribution comes at a time of increasing needs.
She said last year alone, 2.3 million people were affected by drought, and they are now trying to rebuild their livelihoods amidst the COVID-19 crisis.
Ms Bitonde said the funding will be used to promote the use of conservation agriculture practices that increase yields, enhance access to post-harvest management technologies to reduce food losses and scale up the use of drought-tolerant crops such as cowpeas and groundnuts.
She said the contribution will also support the nutrition of 33,000 school children’s through the provision of locally produced fresh food from smallholder farmers.
Germany is an important donor to WFP in Zambia. Following a US$320,000 contribution to WFP’s drought response in 2019, the German Federal Foreign Office contributed US$2.1 million in support of refugees residing in the country earlier this year.
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies, building prosperity and supporting a sustainable future for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
“…..Germany to assist over 104,000 smallholder farmers impacted by drought……”
$10 million. ?
Tasila alone has stolen more than that , meaning the money lungu has stolen can assist all small scale farmers in Zambia
Give these farmers a viable cash crop and look further afield than the traditional crops that have limited return on investment.
Hemp is harmless, drought resistant and can earn foreign exchange, industrial hemp as it is called refers to the non-psychoactive varieties of Cannabis sativa L. Both hemp and marijuana come from the same cannabis species, but are genetically distinct and are further distinguished by use, chemical makeup, and cultivation methods.
Hemp is versatile and renewable. It can be used for food, medicine, fuel, paper, clothing, plastic, building materials; just about anything paper and oil is used for.
I don’t comment on these
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Meanwhile Dr Chilufya is busy handing 17 million dollar drug contracts to his friends.
Twalumba kapati. I have visited Germany a few times and can vouch for them. Great bunch who love Zambians. In fact I had to fight off their women who always chased after me. I am happily married
Good gesture indeed from the Germany government to support our smallholder farmers who usually face difficulties in doing their food security contribution to our nation. We hope our Zambian government will put to good and targeted demand led modalities in dispensing this support.
Thank you Germany and your people once more, for their consistency in helping other nations in need. We will strive to depend less as we progress in our democracy to strengthen its principles of rule of law, accountability and transparency, currently under challenges and not so effective.
What a waste!
I hope the German government will control procurement in this project. The level of desertification is partly man-made in pur rural areas. Too many trees hv been cut down leaving soils unprotected from both water and wind erosion. As result even where dams used to exist, they hv since silted up. Villagers don’t know the connection. Will the project include villager education in soil and forest protection and tree planting? I hope so.
We hope Germany will follow these projects and that the money is put into use: on the account that it is a well known fact that,Hemp is versatile and renewable. It can be used for food, medicine, fuel, paper, clothing, plastic, building materials; just about anything paper and oil is needed to use.