PRESIDENT Hakiainde Hichilema has challenged farmers to transform the agriculture sector and increase production.
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President Hichilema said farmers should increase production and say no to lower levels of production.
He has observed that productivity levels in the agricultural sector had been too low, hence the need to change the scenario.
Mr Hichilema said that farmers should accept the effects of climate change and start leveraging on how to survive amidst the calamity.
Mr Hichilema was speaking in Lusaka when he opened the 117th annual congress of the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) held under the theme: “Promoting technology for an inclusive agricultural transformation.”
President Hichilema encouraged the farmers attending the congress to ensure that challenges faced in the agriculture sector are identified and addressed.
He said for two years the agriculture sector has underperformed adding that it is high time that something is done and changed immediately.
President Hichilema noted that it is sad that even after appointing Presidential Delivery Units nothing much has changed, saying that farmers themselves should step up and ensure that the sector thrives.
“Farmers, I know you are faced with some challenges but some of these challenges are self-inflicted. You have the solutions but you decide to be quiet waiting for the government. I know other challenges are beyond you. Why have you projected to produce 10 million tons of maize per year? That is too low. Why are you projecting low? ,” said President Hichilema.
And Minister of Agriculture Mtolo Phiri said the government would continue creating confidence in the farmers countrywide.
Mr Phiri said his Ministry would continue making farmers happy so that they are motivated to produce more food and feed the nation.
President Jervis Zimba appealed to the government to ensure that the floor price of maize is known to the farmers before the planting season.
Mr Zimba said informing farmers on the maize floor price will help them prepare themselves adequately.
He said this will help them know how much they will grow and how much will come out of their production.
Mr Zimba observed that farmers have been making losses because they have been subsidised following the announcement of the floor price by the government.
“Your excellence sir, I am asking if you can kindly consider telling us how much the price floor will be for next year. We do not want to grow maize and only to be told that maize will be sold at a cheap price. This has been affecting farmers. So let us do this now and see how it will go,” noted Mr Zimba.
Mr Zimba has also appealed to the government to ensure that agriculture levies are abolished because crop levies have been affecting farmers.
Corteva Agro Science Managing Director Samson Nyendwa said for the agriculture sector to thrive, there is a need to embrace technology.
“Mr President, I am sure you have been moving around and you have seen how our farmers still continue living in thatched houses when they actually produce 90 percent of the maize.” – ZANIS.
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