Today's letters to the editor

Wed, 31 May 2017 13:13:31 +0000

Value addition in agriculture can profit farmers

Dear Editor,

Minister of Agriculture Dora Siliya’s disclosure that the government

would not remove 10% charge on the maize exports as requested by the commercial farmers and grain traders in order to encourage the exportation of mealie meal and create jobs for the millers was the breath of fresh air needed to blow away the stench brought about by the war-of-words between the Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) and the Grain Traders Association of Zambia (GTAZ).

While MAZ chairperson Andrew Chintala confirmed that Zambia had the capacity to feed the Southern African region and beyond with the mealie meal produced from local milling companies. In sharp contrast, GTAZ executive director Chambuleni Simmwinga disputed MAZ’s assertions claiming that millers in Zambia had limited milling capacity and could not afford to produce mealie meal for export.

He further echoed Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU)’s advice that government should revise the 10% tax being charged on the export of maize because it was a barrier to trade. Quite mind boggling.  Suffice to say, profits and jobs in agriculture come from adding value – an area of growing industrial importance to Zambia. The potential is enormous from multiple use of cassava to finished cornflakes or stock feeds (“Govt will maintain 10pc charge on maize exports – Siliya”, Daily Nation, May 30, 2017).

Even for ZNFU’s large-scale farmers, competing against global agricultural companies is a daunting prospect. Decades of underdevelopment mean that the ZNFU’s producers have been priced out of international markets for basic commodities. Many have had to turn to producing cash crops, such as baby corn, that, owing to a favourable climate in Zambia, are cheaper for European countries to import than grow themselves.

Another area that Zambia’s farm producers may diversify into is value-added crops. Value addition in agriculture is a process by which the value of a basic commodity is increased. There are various ways this can be achieved. Some Western consumers are happy to pay a premium for products that are guaranteed to have been produced by local farmers for the benefit of small communities, for instance.

Organically grown foods are another such example, as is meat that is free of growth hormones. And some crops have value added if they can be used for biofuels. Value-added agriculture is seen as a good way for small-scale farmers in Zambia to develop their businesses.

Consider cassava, the shrub cultivated for its starchy, edible root, of which Luapula and Western provinces are some of the country’s largest producers. Mostly consumed as a food, it has many other applications, like in the production of clear beer or ethanol for motor vehicles’ fuel alternative.

Whether the commodity is maize, cotton, sunflower, soyabean, cassava or any other agricultural product, there is no reason why Zambians cannot benefit from a greater share of the value of the produce grown and picked by their own hands. By all accounts, small-scale farmers must be assisted and supported to add value to their farm produce to harvest jobs and profits. Ultimately, GTAZ and ZNFU officials would do well to remember this. Mubanga Luchembe, lusaka

—————————————————————————————

You will remember President Lungu

Dear Editor

William Shakespeare wrote; “The good that man does lives after him, the evil is often interred with his bones.” The good remembered will omit the wrongs.

To this regard, the best Presidents who ever served Zambia will always be those whom God has called; Michael Sata, Levy Patrick Mwanawasa and Fredrick Chiluba.

The worst President in this case is one in office: President Edgar Chagwa Lungu.

He is the one that receives the blunt of the Zambian people for all our woes, even going back to our Independence in 1964.

Previously it was “Lungu is too weak to lead this nation.” Today “Lungu is a dictator.”

And when finally he will be gone, I bet President Lungu will be the best President who ever served Zambians.  After all, that is exactly what he is; one of, if not the best in Africa.

I can’t argue for Bwezani Banda and Dr Kenneth Kaunda, because they are still alive.

This further implies that the best opposition leaders who ever served Zambians are Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, Anderson Kambela Mazoka and Michael Chilufya Sata.

I have chosen to leave the worst opposition leader to everyone’s guess.

Mukuka Chilufya

———————————————————————-

Chambishi Mine Township UPND and naked women

Dear Editor,

This is not the first time UPND has exposed the nakedness of other peoples’ wives without shame.

It is certainly one of the most primitive ways of protesting which was used during the struggle against colonialists. Remember Mama Julia Chikamoneka MHRIEP)?

So surely UPND wants to take us back to those days just for what reason?

You see the clever leaders of UPND will not allow their wives or daughters to undress.

As usual it is the poor and down trodden who are used to fight the battles for the rich.

UPND should be told in no uncertain terms that what it is doing is not only primitive but an insult to the women of this nation.

Do they think that Zambians would care more if they saw naked women making foolish and cheapening their bodies?

A woman body commands a lot of respect and it is not normal for a normal woman would want to parade herself even half naked before total strangers unless they are women or girls of the night.

Which normal woman, and married for that matter, would feel comfortable to undress for the public just to please UPND leaders?

It is my prayer that this should be the last time UPND resorted to such poor methods of protesting.

May I suggest that in future when such a thing occurs, the police should go for the leaders of the party and charge them accordingly?

Even political violence, it is the youths of the poor who are in the frontline of battles while children of leaders are in their homes enjoying their hearty meals.

Enough is enough, please UPND stop it, for the dignity of our women.

Joseph Banda

———————————————————————————————————-

THE DEATH OF MR BRUCE MUNYAMA SADDENS THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION

The Human Rights Commission is deeply saddened at the passing away of Mr. Bruce Munyama on 25th May 2015.

Mr. Munyama was instrumental in the establishment of the Human Rights Commission through the  recommendation by the Munyama Commission of Inquiry recommendations.

In 1993, Mr Munyama chaired the Munyama Commission of Inquiry on violations of human rights by past governments from 1972 to 1993.  The nation may recall the boldness, impartiality, fairness and independence with which the Mr. Munyama Commission investigated and established violations of human rights after which it recommended the creation of a permanent and autonomous Human Rights Commission. The findings and recommendations of the Munyama Commission of Inquiry inspired the country to take effective measures towards ending human rights violations with impunity and resulted in the enactment of an Act of Parliament in 1996 which established the Human Rights Commission with a broad mandate of promoting and protecting human rights for all.

On behalf of the Human Rights Commission, and indeed on my own behalf, I wish to convey my heartfelt condedences to the Munyama family, relatives, friends and the entire legal and human rights fraternity on the passing of Mr. Munyama who was a gallant lawyer and human rights advocate.

The Commission will continue and uphold the legacy of promoting and protecting everyone’s rights and freedoms as basis for sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development.

Mudford. Z. Mwandenga