By GIDEON NYENDWA
FARMERS have demanded that the new administration should actualise its promise to reduce the price of fertiliser to K250 per 50kg from the current K800.
Small-Scale Farmers Development Agency (SAFADA) executive director, Boyd Moobwe, said the farmers expected that prices of fertiliser will go down before the onset of the rainy season as promised by President Hakainde Hichilema during campaign.
Mr Moobwe said the new Agriculture Minister, Mr Mtolo Phiri, should transform the agricultural sector and lead small-scale farmers into a transition process that would allow them to advance in agriculture.
He said the minister should ensure that agriculture becomes a climate change resilient and diversified sector.
According to Mr Moobwe, the new minister should protect the interest of farmers and take into account all their concerns.
He said the government must consider adopting the new technology and innovations in the agriculture sector especially for the small-scale farmer because it would help increase productivity.
Mr Moobwe said SAFADA with its partners such as Aldelano Solar Solutions would introduce environmental friendly technology and innovations that would improve the business of farming in the country.
He said starting from October this year they would introduce eight acres 40ft solar farm containers in all provinces and install solar-driven cold storage facilities in all the marketplace to reduce food waste.
Mr Moobwe said small-scale farmers would be assisted to harvest water from the air and would be linked to off grid solar power units.
“We want the government to support this,” he said.
He said SAFADA would extend support systems to youths and women interested to invest in agriculture after training through the World Youths and Leadership Foundation and other agriculture training institutes.
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