Northern Province Permanent Secretary Royd Chakaba says Northern province is now ranked number four on the list of provinces with high maize productivity.
He said this has been necessitated by the efficient and timely distribution of farming inputs coupled with a good agriculture policy environment.
“In terms of maize productivity,we are number four in the country but for beans, we are number one. The perfomance in the agriculture has been very good, obviously due to the good policies that Government has put in place,” he said.
Mr Chakaba said the farmers in the province are now cultivating maize for commercial purposes and not for consumption as it was in the past.
He was speaking when Neria’s Investments General Manager Mr Martin Chaikatisha paid a courtesy call on him in Kasama.
Mr Chakaba appreciated that inputs are being delivered on time and the floor price of maize is good, which is forcing farmers to venture into agri-business.
He commended Neria’s Investment for the timely distribution of inputs to the province adding that this is the first time that farmers will be receiving inputs as they take their maize to satellite depots for sale.
He said the economy in the Northern province is anchored on agriculture, an activity, he said has transformed the lives of the people in the area.
Meanwhile, places that are difficult to access during the rain season have been prioritised in the fertilizer distribution exercise during this year’s farming season to ensure farmers receive inputs on time, Neria’s Investment general manager Martin Chaikatisha has disclosed.
Mr Chaikatisha says Neria’s investments’ strategy is to ensure depots that are in remote places with a rough terrain are stocked with inputs.
“So in places like Chilubi Island, Kaputa and Nsama, we have done 100 percent of the deliveries to avoid the bad terrain,” he said.
He said Neria’s Investment has already done 80 percent of the deliveries in the Northern province and that the exercise will soon be finalised.
Mr Chaikatisha said Neria is ready to start the distribution of inputs to the farmers once Government flags off the exercise.
Our reporters are lazy! This would have been a good time to mention the top 5 maize yields per province. But now we have to guess?
So who’s at the top?
With the reforms in agriculture sector, the production is all set to go up. Not just one province, but the entire country will have record harvest.
We are now exporters of agricultural products. Credit goes to hard working farmer and the long term policies of the government.
Timely distribution of FISP, which was for the first time in history, has been a boon for farmers. No one could have ever imagined that FISP would be distributed before rainy season!
The graduation to commercial cultivation is the most remarkable thing. Farmers in the province are setting examples for other provinces. This is a sign of growth!
Northern Province, has one more feather to its cap. It is already top bean producer in the country, now catching up with maize production too! Farmers in the province must be happy.
This is so soothing to read such news! It gives a sense of security to see that farmers are growing, their lives are improving and the country is in safest of hands.
The opposition stooges need to read this. This is the reality and not what HH and his bootlickers peddle.
Agriculture has undergone paradigm shift in recent years, especially after President Lungu took charge. His policies are now bearing fruits and the results are for everyone to see.
Agriculture will transform the country. It is the key to prosperity of each one of us.
Zambia is now a net exporter of Maize Seed and is also internationally recognised as one of the largest exporting countries on the African continent. As a matter of fact, Zambia is now the Third largest Net Exporter of Seed in Africa, behind South Africa and Egypt.
Good move and we should remain focused with God given enough rain year in year ot,we also give praise the government for the good policy