By Nation Reporter
PARAMOUNT Chief Chitimukulu is happy that Zambia has continued to record back to back bumper harvests.
He notes that such is an indication and assurance of a food secure nation.
He says the agriculture sector under the leadership of President Edgar Lungu has been capacitated to enhance food security and to empower farmers.
He says it is evident with the unprecedented early distribution of farming inputs that the agriculture sector is not the same as it was a few years back.
“We used to receive farming inputs as late as February,” Chief Chitimukulu recalled but expressed happiness that tremendous success has been made and that is no longer the case now.
He was speaking at his palace when Neria’s Investments Limited General Manager, Mr Martin Chaikatisha paid a courtesy call to update him on the input distribution exercise.
The traditional leader disclosed that he has personally harvested 1,000 bags of maize, an indication that agriculture policies are favourable to enhance yield capacity.
He said it is important that such policies are effectively implemented considering that 26 percent of the country’s population are farmers most of whom are rural based.
Chief Chitimukulu is happy that through government support to the agriculture sector, many farmers are benefiting and transforming their lives.
And the traditional leader is happy that Neria’s Investments have already distributed the inputs which are awaiting government’s approval to kick start the distribution to farmers, once they deposit their K400 contribution.
“We are on the right track and with the good selling price and the bumper harvest, people’s lives will improve” he said, and thanked Neria’s Investments for being instrumental, consistent and effective in the distribution of farming inputs. And Mr Chaikatisha has observed that Zambia is able to feed itself and be the food basket for the entire region due to increased capacity to produce more as a result of good policies under the PF government.
“We have for the entire Northern Province delivered over 80 percent of farming inputs with the remaining to be completed in the next couple of weeks,” Mr Chaikatisha said and assured of efficiency executing its mandate.
He said his organization will continue to ride on government’s good policies to maintain its effectiveness in the timely distribution of inputs in order to contribute to agricultural productivity.
