By KETRA KALUNGA
GOVERNMENT should come up with an alternative budget for small-scale farmers who despite having many challenges have not been adequately addressed in the 2022 national budget, New Progress Party Leader, Peter Chanda has said.
Mr. Chanda said in an interview that the small Scale farmers have been neglected because the budget has very little on the measures that the government would put in place to address the challenges faced which include among others production costs and the unreasonable maize price. He said the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) had promised during campaigns to reduce the cost of fertilizer once voted for, but this has not been done.
Mr. Chanda said this is a matter that needs immediate action because if not dealt with, it would affect the food security of the country as most farmers are already feeling neglected by the government. “The farmers have been left hanging because the budget has nothing much for them, especially the small scale farmers despite the UPND having promised to address all their challenges such as high cost of fertilizer,” he said. He has urged the government to come up with an alternative budget that would empower small scale farmers and transform the agriculture sector as the second mainstay of the country’s econom
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