Maravi

(DAILY MAIL) ‘Cassava vital for food security’

COMMENT - How about Sorghum? It is already widely grown, drought resistant and can also replace maize as cattle feed. There is a book called "Lost Crops Of Africa volume 1" which is basically all about Sorghum.

‘Cassava vital for food security’
By JERRY MUNTHALI
GOVERNMENT says cassava has assumed greater importance to national food security due to the soaring world food prices, coupled with increases in the price of fertilizer.

Minister of Agriculture Brian Chituwo said this in a speech read on his behalf by his deputy Albert Mulonga during the launch of the media campaign to promote the use of cassava in Lusaka yesterday.

“Now, more than ever, cassava has assumed even greater importance due to the soaring food prices experienced the world over, coupled with steep increases in the price of fertiliser which is a must-have commodity for the production of maize, our number one staple food,” Dr Chituwo said.

He said with the frequent occurrences of drought and floods, Government had realised that national and household food security would remain highly vulnerable as long as the country remained over-dependent on maize.

Dr Chituwo said cassava was tolerant both to floods and drought.

He said the production of cassava had proved to be stable and could bring stability to national and household food security.

Dr Chituwo said cassava had many attributes which gave it comparative advantage over maize because it could grow in poor soils on marginal lands where maize and other crops could not grow.

He said the media campaign was aimed at popularising and commercialising the use of cassava.

“We hope to awaken the nation to the many uses that cassava can be put to at both household and industrial levels,” Dr Chituwo said.

Food and Agriculture Organisation country representative Nourredin Mona was happy that Government was committed to realising the full potential and benefits of cassava.

Dr Mona called on Government to consider providing tax incentives to encourage private investment in the cassava sub-sector.

He said Government should develop infrastructure like roads, telecommunication and storage facilities to create a conducive environment for the development of the cassava sub-sector.

Dr Mona said Government needed to equally share subsidies among crops because, currently, it was slanted towards maize at the expense of other crops such as cassava.

Caritas Zambia programme manager for human development Katongo Chifweba said food was an important aspect of human life.

Ms Chifweba said food security played an important role in uniting the family and bringing peace to the nation.

Ends…

Labels: BRIAN CHITUWO, CASSAVA, SORGHUM

posted by MrK @ 10:39 PM