By ROGERS KALERO
PEASANT farmers in Maposa area of Roan constituency in Luanshya district of the Copperbelt Province are excited with the return of former republican President Edgar Lungu to active politics and have pledged their support as the former head of State embarks on the crusade to defend democracy.
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The farmers who are complaining that they have not yet received their farm inputs are happy with the return of former President Lungu into active politics because according to them, he (former President Lungu) had the best agriculture policies that made the sector thrive under his leadership.
Apart from good agricultural policies, the peasant farmers also said they were willing to support former President Lungu because of his humility and fatherly heart by advancing the interests of Zambians before that of the imperialists and capitalists
The farmers, who identified themselves as John Nsokolo, Mary Daka, Joyce Mwambazi, Philip Lusungu and others who were representing about 1,000 farmers in the area, said they were missing the Patriotic Front (PF) and former President Lungu because it had good agricultural policies
Leading the group, John Nsokolo said, under the PF government, each farmer was getting six bags of fertilizer while the UPND Government was subjecting farmers to sharing a bag of fertiliser into medas (tins).
“We are farmers from Maposa area under Roan Constituency in Luanshya and we are about 1000. We can tell you that we were excited when we heard that former President Lungu is returning to active politics because we know that he is not only humble, but a respectful leader who always listened to people’s cries.”
“He was not arrogant. Most importantly, his government had good agricultural policies which had set the stage for poverty alleviation and food security because he was giving us six bags per farmer unlike now under the New Dawn when we are sharing a bag among four farmers ,’’ Mr Nsokolo said
And some farmers in Minsaka, Kamfinsa, Chipashi and Chankalamo have said the PF had set the stage for poverty alleviation and food security in the country through the delivering of agricultural inputs on time Sainani Ngulube said the early distribution of agricultural inputs on time under the PF government had made the country to continue recording a bumper harvest in each agricultural season thereby making the price of mealie meal stable and affordable
Mr Ngulube, who was in the company of other farmers identified Ireen Chilufya , Sydney Kayombo and Jesper Mwale said the reviewing of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP ) which resulted into the reduction of bags of fertiliser being given to individual farmers from six to ‘Medas’ had adversely affected food security in the country.
“Like we have told you, previously, we used to receive six bags of fertiliser per individual farmer, but from the time the UPND reviewed the FISP, we are sharing one bag among four farmers. Now, how many hectares or acres can a Meda cover? What has happened to the UPND campaign promises of eight bags per farmer which we were promised? Mr Ngulube said.
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