Friday, March 29, 2024

Agriculture extension staff trained in post-harvest management

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Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has trained agriculture camp extension staff in Post-Harvest Loss Management to enhance food security among small holder farmers in Namwala District of Southern Province.

Ministry of Agriculture working with support from the World Food Program (WFP) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) held a two day training workshop in post-harvest loss management for agriculture camp extension staff dubbed Strengthening Climate Resilience of Agricultural Livelihoods in Agro Ecological Regions 1 and 2 in Zambia (SCRALA).

Southern Province Principle Agriculture Officer (PAO) Paul Nyambe told ZANIS in Namwala that most farmers fail to secure their harvest despite having a bumper harvest hence the need to train farmers on Post-harvest loss Management.

Mr Nyambe noted that most farmers were occupied with Pre harvest matters such as land preparation, buying of quality seeds while ignoring matters of post-harvest.

He cited factors such as storage, fumigation, transportation as among as some of the aspects that can preserve crops after harvest.

The two day training was funded by the World food Program through the United Nations Development Program SCRALA Program.

He further said training for the post-harvest loss Management will help the agriculture camp extension staff to impart knowledge to the smallholder farmers on the dangers of crop loss or contamination associated with Pre- and post-harvest handling of crops and help them manage their crops better to secure quality grain.

He noted that for farming to be sustainable, farmers need to earn a decent income by securing quality grain that fetches good prices.

The Agriculture Camp extension offices were trained in preventing cross loss after a good harvest, such as Pre harvest infestation and common problems after harvest, controlling grain quality, managing harvest, drying and protecting grain, threshing and cleaning of grain, storage.

16 COMMENTS

  1. The ministry has trained staff what to do post harvest? You mean – like a true PF cadre – how to steal the proceeds?

  2. Great skills development. We cannot continue relying on the western experts so we taking things in our hands and empowering our people. Remember that knowledge is power. This will hurt and annoy the evil upnd diasporans who are agents of their imperial masters.

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  3. And the need the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to partner with for this programme ….you wonder where all the taxpayers money is going to, Lazy is busy handing out huge sums of cash bribing voters all over the country but they can not fund this vital programme …shame on Lazy Lungu and his goons.

  4. No Corruption Zambia – They have no shame …they just hear there is free money at UN and they went rushing….this is a simple course which even NRDC can undertake but even that has been sold to the Chinks so they can build flats and shopping malls even block off vital aquifers in Ibex Hill.

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  6. Repetitive time wasting for such should be covered within the training these extension staff undergo before being posted into the field! Government needs to be assessing and updating staff as new information in fields of operation is discovered. Mount Makulu has all up-to-date information and technology on post-harvest management but then challenged with resources government is open armed to all who think they have something to offer even repetitive or substandard!

  7. I think poor and small-scale farmers are lagging behind due to a lack of proper knowledge. Hope this workshop will help them to understand things in a better way.

  8. Learning is any time better than assuming that I know everything because every time there is always something new to learn. And, I believe that this camp would be a great learning experience for the farmers.

  9. President Lungu initiated several schemes to grow the agriculture sector, due to which many youths turned to agriculture as a great career option. They should attend this 2-day workshop without fail.

  10. Zambia has skilled and talented people, they just need proper training and knowledge. I am sure in the coming few years our local businesses would witness tremendous growth.

  11. Whatever PF does, dull people have the habit to criticize them. Anyways! We appreciated the move by the government.

  12. Mr. President decided to develop the local businesses so that the country will not rely upon the foreign experts. Hence, this training will make our farmers self-reliant.

  13. Under President Lungu’s administration no one will stay behind, as a fair treatment to all is provided by the government.

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