President Rupiah Banda has urged Zambians to produce surplus food and increase tonnage in the next farming season in order to enable the country to export food in the region.
President Banda said Zambians should take advantage of food deficits in some African countries like Kenya for exportand local consumption.The Eastern African country is currently facing food shortages.
Mr. Banda said this to journalists at the Lusaka International Airport on his arrival from the African Union ordinary summit in the Ethiopia capital of Addis Ababa.
The President also made a stop over in Kenya for bi-lateral talks with his Kenyan counterpart Mwai Kibaki on issues affecting the two countries.
President Banda’s plane touched down at Lusaka’s international airport around 14:00. Vice President George Kunda, cabinet ministers and MMD senior officials among others welcomed the President.
He disclosed that Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki had invited him to discuss issues that are affecting the two countries among them agriculture.
Mr. Banda also said there is need for the two countries to activate joint commissions and share experiences in various sectors.
He said one of the key issues discussed is the agriculture sector and that Zambia can learn from Kenya’s advanced extension services in the agriculture sector.
Meanwhile President Banda said he has also extended a message of condolences on behalf of the people of Zambia to Kenya on the tragic accident involving over 145 people that were burnt to death after a petrol tanker they were siphoning fuel from exploded.
And Mr. Banda said the just ended AU ordinary summit was held in an exciting atmosphere where leaders on the continent found the formula to the formation of the proposed United States of Africa for the continent.
He noted that the summit totally agreed to the gradual formation of the United States of Africa despite the various proposed approaches adding that the vision and ambition of a union government has now existed for a long time on the continent.
Mr. Banda said the leaders also agreed to take deliberate steps and expedite the formation of the proposed union government.
He said it is now up to governments on the continent to table and discuss the union government in their countries and engage stakeholders such as legislators.
Mr. Banda revealed that the AU committee would in three months meet and make proposals on the way forward.
President Banda also said the election of Libyan leader Col. Muamar Gaddafi as AU Chairman was in accordance to the Chairmanship circulation in most regions and organisations on the continent.
He further explained that the summit unanimously agreed that Libya takes over the chairmanship of the continental body after Tanzanian leader Jakaya Kikwete as it was North Africa’s turn after East Africa.
He said North Africa and President Gaddafi will then hand over the chairmanship to the Southern African region.
On the local front, President Banda has said he attaches great importance to the MMD party National Executive Committee (NEC) because it is capable of overcoming challenges of the ruling party.
Mr. Banda said he is confident that the issue on the party presidency will be solved by the NEC adding that his current role as acting party president is subject to ratification by the NEC.
He said people should avoid twisting statements which are portraying the party as divided adding that the ruling party is still united and intact with warm and cordial relations among its membership.
ZANIS/CM/CMC/ENDS/MM
Let him go and dig instead of calling on increased food production. Sleepy guy!
Going back to the land,village concept manje apa
How will they produce when the imputs are beyond their reach?
Lele Thandiwe abwela ku State House
We (singular) just want to send greetings to all.
It’s not a matter of telling farmers to grow substantial amounts of crop at the drop of the dime. If RB wants surplus food he should prove the mechanism in form of seeds, fertilisers and whats needed instead of passing opinions. Farming is very expensive and crop yield is not driven by presidential declarations.
:((:d
act, don’t just talk
Talk …talk…thats what y’all do!! Invest in farming and be pragmatic about it!! 😉
What does RB think? That production was just slowed down on purpose?
Please legalise the throwing of shoes at less productive polititians like RB!! This shoe throwing should be manifested in the Constitution!!
Its like he is telling some kids to stop playing and go back to work. You can not manage a country as if you are managing your family with the first lady!! It does not work like that.
Either you are a president or you are a parasite!! Everytime I see the Presido, he is sleeping!! sha :o:o:o
How can that be possible when all the farming inputs are ever expensive sure? :-j:-j:-j
No more a parasite than those coming onto a news site to post useless comments.
Jeez, this man is “all words and no action” :-w:-w:-w:-w:-w
Doesn’t he understand he is the one to direct the nation in implementing food production. With our abundant land and water resources, we can harvest three times in a year!!! That is FAO’s estimation and what are we doing???:((:((:((
Obama called this madness, were you exactly the same thing and somehow expect a different result! You have not done anything on Agriculture and somehow (I really dont know ) expect bumper hervest so you can sale???.
What has really changed in agric policies since you left for Ethiopia and Kenya. It was Ethipia teaching us how to fly, and now it is Kenya showing as how to cultivate???? Which country are we going to show something?? DRC and the poor Rwanda will soon show as how to mine and fight???
RB belongs to NATO (No Action Talk Only)
” President Rupiah Banda has urged Zambians to produce surplus food and increase tonnage in the next farming season in order to enable the country to export food in the region. ”
Or just prevent famine.
The problem is that this is an excellent sentiment, and one that is needed now. However, what is needed is that the government acknowledge that it cannot simply lean back and wait for ‘market forces’ to do this for them. What is needed is comprehensive agrarian reform, that puts inputs, machinery and land in the hands of subsistence farmers, so they actually can improve their output.
The government needs policies and needs to put them in action.
Emergency measures the government can take:
1) revamp NCZ to produce fertilizer
2) revamp the old farm cooperatives, so they can provide inputs and education to subsistence farmers
3) use the national service and traditional authorities to build rural infrastructure; create irrigation infrastructure to prevent flooding and make year-around agriculture possible for most farms.
In the longer term, we need to created thousands of medium sized organic farms.
– Medium sized, because the size of a working farm throughout the developed world is 90-100 hectares in size
– Organic, because organic agriculture uses brainpower and manpower instead of chemical inputs; it is labour intensive, and most inputs can be made on the farm, lowering costs; organic farming is sustainable for centuries, because it improves the quality of the soil instead of depleting it; and it creates much healthier food.
PELUM – Participatory Ecological Land Use Management – in Lusaka
pelumrd /org
PANA – Pesticide Action Network
panna /org
About Permaculture:
” In addition, many permaculture practices derive from, and build on, the existing knowledge and experiences of rural subsistence farmers. “
I don’t see anything wrong with RB’s statement. He is right in telling the Zambian people to improve in agriculture.
As for the agric policies, there is zero vat an all imported agric inputs, there has been an increase in FSP as allocated in the budget and there has been an allocation of funds in the budget in the development of agric infrastructure. Measures have been put in place. Why are people so pessimistic and critical?? Is it because it is RB making the statement?? Before we condemn, let’s look at the policies that have been put in place that would warrant a statement from the head of state. The govt has created the environment, it is up to the Zambian people to take advantage [tbc
cont. #20]
advantage of the opportunities made available and act. Lets not be critical for the sake of it, lets assess the situation first.
There is nothing wrong with the statement RB has made.
[email protected]
#21 there is everything wrong in what RB has said. He is the leader and therefore should come up with the solution and/or strategy. You just don’t tell your employees to work: you have to tell them what work you want them to perform and how it must be done. Above all, you have to give them the resources for them to perform that job.:)>-
RB is not providing the resources, conditions and strategy of what the people should do. We all know that Zambia has to diversify and go into agriculture. But what i the strategy (direction) & resources to go into agriculture? Some of the answers are provided by #17/18.
#22. Mbewe
The conditions provided in the budget for agric
-Zero VAT on all agric input imports
-Increase in allocation of funds in FSP
-Increase in allocation of funds in agric infrastructure (e.g Artificial irrigation for all year round farming instead of seasonal (rain based) farming)
-Increase in road infrastructure
-Increase in allocation of funds for Food Reserve Agency (FRA)
-Policy that FRA buys grain from remote areas which are not accessible to the private sector whereas private sector buys from urban accessible areas
Now tell me, what is wrong with these measures put in place??
[email protected]
I forgot to add one more on #23]
-CEEC approves agric based loans over all other loans (Story in the side bar).
Food production goes well with good agricultural policies and markeing strategies. This is what Sata and chiluba MUST know. Living in town in houses that were built by others cannot be a way of life. Chiluba has always lived in govt shelter ever since he returned from his sisal cutting job in Tanzania. Sata also has not built a single house but just grabs houses built by others as he goes about womanising. Yah, chansoni Sata amashilu.
keep talking, we wanna see action. truth:)>-
KK used to say lima programme as well, so its not new we can go back to the land.if I remember very well when I was in the out stations of katete and off Petauke boma food was rooting there coz no one would pick it so Please improve on the mentioned conditions> lets not just talk and write the changes on paper togerther lets them into actions, I wounder how that is possible, I think i would rather became a cader free flights :d
That is funny how can people produce when the inputs are given to civil servants ahhhhhhhhhh.
The wanderer returns with brilliant solutions!The ministers met him at the airport and performed their collective duty;boot-licking. Viva Zambia.
23. Free-Market-Capitlst,
” Now tell me, what is wrong with these measures put in place?? ”
It is not enough to just ‘stimulate’ agriculture. There is a need for comprehensive reform. In other words, it takes more than tinkering with monetary and fiscal policy.
Think in terms of projects – infrastructure projects, reviving parastatals, rewriting ownership laws small farmers have legal protection against eviction. Education for farmers, increasing extension services.
You know, governing? 🙂
Free market theory is over. It just took down the global economy.
We have state in place and the president is working give him a benefit of a doubt. Do you all wanna be like the somalian buccaneers it is not a failed state yet.
#30. MrK
“Think in terms of projects – infrastructure projects, reviving parastatals, rewriting ownership laws small farmers have legal protection against eviction. Education for farmers, increasing extension services.”
I did mention money allocated in the budget for infrastructure development. I think parastatals in the private hands would run more efficiently (more especially a monopoly like NCZ), NCZ is going down because it is govt owned and therefore shareholders (govt) are not that concerned about profits and efficiency. If it was in private hands, shareholders would care because they would be losing money. It is how the free market works.
I think you missed the point I [tbc
cont. #32]
I think you missed the point I made on CEEC. I think you also know that agricultural studies are offered at UNZA. With the current fiscal policies put in place, I do not think any student studying agriculture would miss out on an opportunity to go to the CEEC and apply for a loan since they get first preference over the rest and have a favorable environment.
I also just wanted to comment on the point you made {Free market theory is over. It just took down the global economy.}. That statement is completely false. The global economy was brought down because of govt intervening in the market. The Federal Reserve is the central bank of the USA. It has control over the printing[tbc
cont. #33]
of money and the setting of interest rates. The federal reserve had set the lending rate at 1% in order to stimulate growth when the USA was facing a recession in 2000. This however had negative effects as it also stimulated a house buying frenzy. People where more than willing to get housing loans at such a low interest rate and banks where willing to lend.
Banks usually use fractional reserve banking. This is the basic model they use when giving loans. Unfortunately, they did not have the required capital to give out the loans which where in high demand. The went to the bond market and issued bonds to get lending capital and came up with the sub prime model. [tbc
cont. #34]
This worked out because at 1% interest, borrowers are more likely to pay back even though they where subprime.
The federal reserve then raised the interest rates to 5.25% and thats when the bubble burst. Borrowers could no longer pay back their loans and started defaulting and this resulted in lost capital for the banks. This is the source of the credit crunch. Banks had no money and therefore they tightened credit. Some companies went bank robbed (AIG, Leyman Brothers, etc) and other companies could no longer get loans that where so easy to get. If the federal reserve did not have this monopoly on interest rates, this would not have happened. [tbc
cont. 35]
The reason why this had a big effect on the world is because the dollar is not only a petrol dollar, it is also a commodity currency.
Lastly, I just wanted to thank you for the respectful response you delivered.
[email protected]
RB, where is the 50pin fertiliser? Unless we subsidise our farmers in terms of inputs, all this talk about increasing food production is mere story-telling. We should give more incentives to encourage Zambians into food production.
you are right #37 they need that 50pin fertilizer to produce, because these farmers are used to that and if somebody came and loaned them fertilizer at its actual price most of these farmers will defaulty. so selling them a cheaper subsidized fertilizer will stimulate production in the agric sector.
Free market capitalist,it’s not force that free market forces led to the economic down-turn.Right now as i write,the capitalist proponents are busy revisiting Karl Max’s propagations,not to say that they will become communists,no!It’s food for thought at the moment.What you mention about interest rates to me is just pointing to one fact,capitalism went bananas,period!!About zero rated vat(17%),this has always been,certain commodities since the inception of vat by Penza have never attracted vat.However,note that the biggest impidements to agro inputs and production are execise duty and lack of infrastructure,also a lack of a clear storage and marketing policy.
RB has been in office long enough for all of us to conclude that he is just an empty vessel that makes a lot of noise. This is like being back to the Kaunda days where the only thing the president did was use slogans like “back to the land” but they did nothing to facilitate this.
the rainy season is almost over and inputs were not delivered on time, not to mention the missing timing the delivery of inputs, Top dressing delivered first in December and now thats when we’re receiving bottom dressing. Let RB stop yapping anything that comes to his mind. 😮
“President Rupiah Banda has urged Zambians to produce surplus food and increase tonnage in the next farming season in order to enable the country to export food in the region.”
Lets first look at getting rid of hunger in the country before we start dreaming of selling food,every time they record a surplus,somewhere in zambia people still struggle to get food,priorities Old man
Let us be ready for a poor harvest this season. Reasons better known by RB and his colleagues. These guys dribbled the farmers by telling them that there will be fertiliser for 50 pin, when in reality there was none at all. How do you surely expect bumper harvest when in-puts where beyong reach of most Zambian farmers.
Alternative solutions from opposition Parties are as rare as the Dodo. ‘ACCOUNTABILLITY’ which until recently was a mere rhetorical word is fast becoming a practical tool to guage performance. The Auditors report long seen as routine Political garb has now than ever a chance for recompense.
The lack of tool and capacity by Oposition to engage GRZ on policy coupled with their inabllity to translate issues to the cadre and populace at large has left the majority the more ignorant about what the principle problems we,as a nation face.
**==Quote for the day**==
“A bad name is like a landmine; watch your steps to avoid stepping on it.”
:-@
#45 Anonymous, to expand on your point regarding the opposition, I find that most of the time, the opposition are asleep (especially UPND). In the case of PF, they have no direction. All we are subjected to are meaningless outbursts by Sata. Given Libinda and Guy Scott try to focus on issues but they are effectively just whistling in wind. No one is listening to them. If the parliamentary UPND and PF met and worked out a joint program of motions to wrong foot the government, I believe MMD would be forced to account for everything they did.
Its policy that will stimulate farming …not talk talk :-@:-@
#9 BRUDER L Right on. especially with the shoe throwing.
#45 and #48 Chitapankwa. You are right. The problem is when you have two opposition parties that are tribal, it makes it impossible for them to even think properly. Right now they’re attacking each other on tribal basis. If you have people like Maestro Hhehhehhe who cant see to reason or who cant see beyond being tonga, we have a serious problem. We have a common goal. MMD has been in power for too long and nothing seems to change for the better, why not work together.
RB, first think of feeding ourselves before feeding the Kenyans. I saw some hungry and angry souls yesterday in Livingstone on ZNBC TV. RBs advisors please tell him the truth. This man has quickly lost touch with the people. You are warned.
his not fit to be president
Can Zambians afford fertiliser now?
This man does not think. I suggest that he continues stealing for as long as he can because his days in office are about to end. Not smart/fit for leadership. 8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x8-x
:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@:-@
How many of our Politicians are ready to sell tangible solutions to the electorate. Very rarely, any where in the world, will a Politician sell the truth. But our circumstances are compounded by the deliberate choice to ignore issues by the masses. It is easy to have a following in Zambia if you are willing to say anything just to win the vote. On one hand, some accuse the MMD of buying votes but on the other hand, cheap rhetoric propaganda by the main opposition finds fertile ground.
What kind of lessons did RB learn from Kenya?.I hope one lesson he learnt was that of using our current infrastructure like Nitrogen Chemicals better coz,thats the Engine of the Country’s Agriculture.By the way,who owns Nyiombo Investments?.I can smell a rat,coz,it looks like there are some very big fish in Gov who wants to always benefit from contracts given to Nyiombo for the supply of fertilizer at the expense on NCZ.Please,Zambians,let us work up and rise to such occassion.Zambia is being destroyed.
I hope this is not just :-@:-@
They’s a critical shortage of the so called cheap maize in some parts of the country lets focus on the problem at hand before we can start talking about exports.
This Govt wants things to work like magic. Their priorities are terrible. How do you spend two million dollars ($2,000,000)on an asset valuation exercise (Zamtel)? And that money is going to a foreign entity. Why not spend that money on enhancing production. Surely 2011 should arrive quickly so we could be saved from this crop of Nyama soya kind of leadership.
Every resposible Zambian and farmers especially would always love to have bamper harvest and save the nation and export some, but if the farming inputs are beyond their reach, RB’s encouragemet go to waste. Better muonepo bwino baba. /:)
55. mazembe , 61. Lazarous Malunga ,
Why does RB poke his nose in the issues which he does not understand.
Awe , na yamba kuyopa ine
RB is not normal.
~X(~X(~X(
The Jet touched down at 1400Hrs. Compare with the picture.:-?
Mwai Kibaki had invited him to discuss issues that are affecting the two countries among them agriculture.
I really dont see why he want to waste tax payers money , going to kenya to talk about Zambia,
The meeting will be vote rigging, not about the economy,
63. Ba Dr Maureen
this looks like 21.30 to me, its so dark.
Have they moved the time in Zed aswell?
The sheer reluctance and disinterestedness by the masses to engage in meaningful debate in policy matters and positions has contributed to our poverty. The cheap Party slonganeering and rhetorics that characterise the main opposition Party election campaigns are more like the opium that drowses the masses preparing them to submit.
The quality of debates in parliament leaves much to be desired. The local councillor is as nondescript as the rare species of the mountain goat and if you find one able to converse, the chances are that he will act as a tamed parrot conveying another person’s message.
Ba Honey,
I thinks Its ‘Load Shedding’. I am told naishupa sana pa Zed
This is off the issue at hand, in the morning I passed through Kazungula Border Post on my way to Katima Mulilo (Namibia) and was told of trucks loaded with GMO maize being re exported back to RSA from Lusaka. These trucks came under heavy police guard as FRA in Lusaka discovered that the supplier duped them with GMO Maize when they paid for non GMO. Zambia is heading for food riots worse than those that Super KK witnessed. I thought you should all all. LT please could you dig deeper into these issue.
Whilst the plea of ignorance will not stand at the door of any justice system, many of our country men and women rely on its assumed benefits. How many people have land on which they could cultivate and produce food from if they chose to, but alas they dont? Many. They still reel in the utopian mentallity of the communist phylosopher who promises abundance by the state. Many still look back to the ‘good old days’ when free accomodation, a bag of mealie meal and such like was a living dream. State ownership is seen by many as the avenue to turn back the clock. Heavily sedated by the cheap rhetorics of some, many yearn for Egypt.
Legend of the Falls
You surprise me, food riots against whom? State run farms, shops or what? The situation is not the same. The riots can only be against another struggling mere businessman which result will only injure you and me. State control is long gone.
ZCBC, MWAISENI, INDECO,ZIMCO,COOPERATIVE SHOPS and the likes where understandably targets of riots because they were GRZ run. The price of maize was dictated by Grz. It is not the case! I wonder if many understand what the whole exercise of privatisation was all about.
Time and again we have been talking about lack of food security. Can someone explain why we are still getting the same story of food security. My reasoning is if you continue doing the same thing you will continue getting the same result. We need to improve our planning sector rather than wait until the rainy season to talk about growing food. At this time people must be talking about how they will harvest and store the harvest.Bloggers and farmers must put their heads together or, we will be talking about the lack of food security this time next year.
Pali ine no bwalwa pakafwa chimo ! =;
I think those who blogged here during the Presidential bye elections will remember the argument with a gentleman in the diaspora who was supporting the assertion by RB during his campaigns that he would reduce the price of mealie meal. There was serious palaver over this issue. The reality has now dawned. We are in a vicious cycle. Who knows how long fuel prices will remain where they are, at this rate. Economic instability shall set in. Go back to the land in the Diaspora, I would say.
President Banda is from an school and lacks vision.
President Banda is from an old school and lacks vision.