Agriculture will develop Zambia farmer

Wed, 02 Nov 2016 09:25:24 +0000

INVESTING in agriculture will develop Zambia, especially the rural areas, since most of the farmers are found in rural parts of the country, a peasant farmer Elemia Tembo of Malengo’s area in Petauke district has said.

Mr Tembo said most of the farmers were handicapped and needed help to boost the agriculture sector, and now that it had been the talk of the day, there was hope that it would be improved.

“We live to the promises of the leadership of President Lungu because he is ‘a walk the talk leader’ who has proved to be one of the leaders who stands by his words and we are holding on to that hope,” he said.

Mr Tembo said farmers were walking long distances of about 40-50 kilometres from their villages to the Boma where inputs were delivered using ox-carts or bicycles.

“And the only mode of transport depends on cows that are also at risk as most of the dams are dry and just using a bicycle to transport the inputs was difficult as people are charged K12 per trip,” he said.

He said most of the people depended on farming and that they needed more support if the agriculture sector was to achieve its purpose of diversifying the economy.

Mr Tembo said that women engaged elderly people to assist them give birth at their homes for fear of travelling long distances to access health services.

“We are in dire need of development especially on things that should benefit our common people to ease the suffering of the people,’’ he said.