By IRVIN MUYUMBWA
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu has said the country is this year poised to record a bumper harvest taking into consideration the high productivity amongst farmers.
And President Lungu said there is need for reduced cost in research services for the farmers for them to increase their yield and capitalise on profit making.
Speaking after a conducted tour of the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute in Chilanga yesterday, President Lungu said he was happy farmers were venturing into varied sources of productivity in the agricultural sector which guarantees the country will record a bumper harvest this year.
President Lungu urged farmers to be innovative and have a scientific approach to the farming business and maximise returns on their investments.
“When we say more money in your pockets we are right. Money comes with hard work, so work hard and all this will be possible,” President Lungu said.
President Lungu challenged ZARI to research more on crops that promote mass production such as yams because the government wants to promote food security in the country and will therefore do everything possible to support the agriculture sector.
“The market is everywhere for the farmers. When the farmer produces that crop, I don’t see why that farmer should be poor. What is making us poor is lack of innovation, lack of scientific research and approach to the farming business which is an enlightened one.
ZARI keep it up and continue helping the farmers to add value to their crops so that they maximise returns on their investments” President Lungu said.
And Agriculture Minister Michael Katambo said ZARI was a strategic institution to the development of agriculture as it has been used to test seed and fertiliser before being allowed on the market for sale.
