Lusaka Province Minister Sheal Mulyata has called on traditional Leaders, councillors and Government Heads of Departments, to plan for unseen eventualities such as drought using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Ms Mulyata who is also Rufunsa Member of Parliament says it is important to plan for unseen circumstances for the benefit of the communities and the country at large.
She was speaking during a planning meeting on leveraging CDF for climate change resilience building in Rufunsa District.
Ms Mulyata said the government is trying to identify communal lands through traditional leaders for farming, adding that boreholes will also be drilled for irrigation so that there is water throughout the year to grow any type of crops in case of drought.
“Government is committed to ensuring that communities are food secure and is working around the clock with several stakeholders to ensure that no one dies of hunger due to the drought,” she said.
Ms Mulyata urged the traditional leaders to cooperate and come up with communal land, where everyone in the community will be benefiting from in terms of food.
And Chief Shikabeta called on the indunas to ensure that the land for the initiative is found.
The traditional leader thanked the government for coming up with such an initiative so that no one dies of hunger in case of drought.
“l am grateful to the government for coming up with such an initiative and me as the chief l will ensure that communal land is found in my area,” he said.
And Council Secretary, Venture Kafula said the government wants to move in quickly hence it was up to the traditional leadership and councilors to identify the land in a shortest possible time.
Bishop Kafula said the government will engage planners and engineers to ensure that the land that will be identified has water and certification by the traditional leadership.
“May you please identify the land as soon as possible as we are ready to be on site when communal lands are found. We don’t want a situation whereby the community should accuse the government of grabbing their land, so work with villagers so that you secure the land that will be communal and certified,” stressed Bishop Dr Kafula.
The communal land will be managed by a committee which will be selected by the traditional leadership.
