Maravi

ZNFU calls for reduction of food production cost

ZNFU calls for reduction of food production cost
By Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Wednesday May 28, 2008 [04:00]

THERE is urgent need to find ways of reducing the cost of producing food in view of the escalating global food prices, ZNFU president Guy Robinson yesterday said. And Robinson also said the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) would soon be meeting President Levy Mwanawasa to discuss the way forward over the implementation of the Irrigation Fund.

Robinson said this when he officiated at the 3rd SADC-EU International Scientific Symposium under the theme: Towards Meeting Challenges of Climate Change: Institution Structures and Best Practices inland and Water Management in Southern Africa.

He also said there was need for the subregion to utilise its potential in crop production and grow more food to feed the southern African region and also export to needy areas in other parts of the world.

“ZNFU has been calling on governments in the region to identify and develop the best practices in the agriculture sector to find better methods of making the cost of producing food cheaper,” Robinson said. “Right now the cost of fertilisers in the world is going up, the cost of fuel is also going. So unless we find ways of mitigating against these factors of production, the price of food will keep going up because farmers can’t produce for nothing.

“So that is why we are engaging scientists in this meeting so that they advise us on how we can properly prepare land, find ways of shifting from dependence on too much fertiliser, harness the rainy water for irrigation.”

He also cited Zambia Conservation Farming Unit as the best example of how farmers could use conservation to produce crops at a cheaper cost without using too much chemical fertilisers.

Robinson also hoped that the symposium that attracted participants from Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries would achieve the objective of finding cheaper and more efficient methods of producing food.

And Robinson supported recent statements that the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MACO) should expedite implementation of the Irrigation Fund.

“Right now the grain stocks in the world are at their lowest records and irrigation is important in ensuring that we improve our food production,” said Robinson. “That is why we support the statement by the President over the Irrigation Fund and we know he has taken action on the matter and very soon we will be meeting to discuss the matter.”

Labels: GUY ROBINSON, INFLATION, IRRIGATION, ZNFU

posted by MrK @ 3:37 AM