LWISYA SILWIMBA
Cotton production occupies an important place in the economic development of this country and deserves adequate support.
The role of the Cotton Development Trust (CDT), therefore, is to provide the technological base for the development of the cotton industry in Zambia.
The Trust has taken up the challenge of improving cotton yields and fibre quality through its research and training programmes.
The field day held on Thursday, April 13, 2023, focusing on “Promoting Sustainable and Regenerative Agricultural Technologies Amidst Climate Change” offers us all to explore exciting new and different agricultural technlogies.
The purpose of this event is to demonstrate to the farming fraternity, especially small-scale farmers, available production technologies generated from research and development programmes.
These technologies include various conservation farming practices, climate smart technologies, agro-products, farm implements etc.
I would like to urge everyone to take advantage of this rare gathering of many people working in the same field to meet one another, talk with one another, and learn from one another.
Overall objective: is to improve cotton production and incomes among the small-scale farmers in Zambia.
Through strengthening the cotton industry by playing an important role in;
. Research and development
. Extension services
. Farmer training; and
. Seed technology and production.
Despite the services that we offer, we also have challenges of which some of them are as follows;
. Climate change – decline in rainfall amounts, uneven distribution, prolonged drought spells and delayed onset dates of the rainy season.
. Inadequate resources to enhance extension and training to small scale farmers
.Inadequate farm equipment and tractors
.Inadequate farm land to do the seed multiplication
.Not enough reliable transport (vehicles)
I therefore, wish to appeal to all stakeholders and collaborators to assist the institution in alleviating some these challenges by coming on board. This will in turn have a positive impact on the productivity and national production of seed cotton among the small scale farmers in the rural areas.
I wish to encourage everyone to adopt some of the climate smart technologies in order to increase farmers’ productivity and incomes.
The author is Director Cotton Development Trust
Indeed words of encouragement from the Director, Continue guiding small scale farmers to improve on yield and adoption of new technologies CDT keep up the good work.