Speaking on the sidelines of the Specialized Technical Committee STC on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment in Addis this morning, Ms Silya said government had put in place mechanisms to ensure that the challenges faced last year in distribution of funds were addressed.
Ms.Siliya said 200 billion kwacha had been set aside this year for the 2017/2018 farming season.
She urged Zambians to take Agriculture as a business and not only grow food for their household consumption.
Ms. Siliya said government had this year devised a mechanism to separate vulnerable farmers from those who are in farming strictly for business.
She said her ministry has recommended vulnerable farmers to the ministry of community development for assistance
The Minister noted that the E Voucher programme was a project that government had put in place to ensure timely and effective distribution of resources to farmers.
And Ms Siliya said government was eager to grow the agriculture sector by supporting irrigation and mechanization.
She said government had since constructed three water harvesting sites in order to capture rain water, adding that through irrigation, crop production could be enhanced.
The Minister also said government was committed to ensuring that there was improved mechanism in farming as opposed to the use of the hole.
She said government was taking the AU decision on relegating the hole to the museum seriously and is committed to ensuring that rural areas are empowered with tillers.
Ms. Siliya said the governments will in 2018 use the $40 million loan from EXIM bank of India purely for mechanization in Agriculture and irrigation farming.
And on the STC meeting, Ms Siliya said Africa has realized the need to support Agriculture because it had the potential to create jobs and wealth.
She said in Zambia, Agriculture was the main stay of the economy and measures had been put in place to grow the sector.
The Minister said declarations such as the Malabo declaration that demands that each country’s budget targets 10 percent towards the Agriculture sector must be supported.
She said Zambia has already made tremendous progress as the Agriculture sectors budget keeps growing every year.
DORA LOOKING MWAAAAAAAAA UMMMMMM
DEEDS NOT WORDS….YOU ARE ACTUALLY LATE ..I CAN SEE THE SKY IS PREGNANT ALREADY WITH THE SPERMS OF THE EARTH…SOON IT WILL BE POURING.
Comment:pay farmers quickly
“Ms.Siliya said 200 billion kwacha had been set aside….”
What a useless Minister! Zambias National Debt is supposed to be 13 Billion US Dollars. 200 Billion KWACHA is about TWENTY BILLION DOLLARS!
Does that mean this PF Government has borrowed that amount and not told us again? And we are now owing 33 BILLION DOLLARS?
Your court cases on how you stole money and put it in your son’s bank account has died a natural death and the professional nomad has said a big prayer on it .When we going to see you at court again ?
Dora has matured a lot. Concentrate on the work bestowed on you and do it diligently. Agriculture is the only activity where the majority of genuine Zambians ( no corrupt fat cats) participate. This is the Dora we want to see on TV and in Newspapers. Damp that Congolese chap if he disrespect you in any way. There are laterally many respectable men who would lay down their lives for the woman you are. Politics aside!
Your court cases on how you stole money and put it in your son’s bank account has died a natural death and the professional nomad has said a big prayer on it .When are we going to see you at court again ?
Dora in Control. Doing good and timely in her role.
Ok, but how about those farmers in last farming season who paid for their Packs under FESSIP but were not given the fertiliser. Are u going to refund them this time?
Please Do Realize The Plight Of The Farmer Is India’s Biggest Problem – RISSALA ORGANIC
Our national sovereignty is under threat…
“What would you say if 12,500 lawyers committed suicide in one year?” A hush fell on the crowd.
“And what would you say if 12,500 doctors committed suicide in one year?”
The silence grew deeper.
“And what would you say if 12,500 businessmen committed suicide in one year? Would you say there was something fundamentally and deeply wrong with the system?” I couldn’t ask the same for Army Men as that would be point of no recovery for us all.
By this time, the silence was complete.
“Twelve thousand and sixty-two farmers committed suicide in 2015. How many of us even noticed it, much less went out and protested on the streets? Rissala talks…