Maravi

Chiengi agric officer calls for more support towards crop marketing

Chiengi agric officer calls for more support towards crop marketing
Written by Florence Bupe in Chiengi
Tuesday, October 06, 2009 7:32:22 AM

CHIENGI acting agricultural coordinator Stanley Chibwe has called for increased support to crop market as a means of promoting economic diversification in the district.

Speaking when Food Reserve Agency (FRA) visited his office on Sunday, Chibwe said the district faced the challenge of depleting fish stock, hence the need to identify and implement alternative growth activities.

“Chiengi has for a long time been depending on fishing for livelihood. However, due to the diminishing fish levels, people have moved up land for alternative farming activities” he said.

Chibwe said the district had registered positive development as crop activities increased.

However, he noted that there was much more that still needed to be done.

He called on agricultural-based agencies to give support to the farmers through increased market access.

“As a district we have high crop productivity. We need increased market access and infrastructure to store our produce”Chibwe said.

“Government should look into these issues to prevent post harvest losses.”

And FRA executive director Anthony Mwanauomo assured that the agency would consider making adjustment in the crop purchasing exercise to enhance market access for farmers in the district.

He said Chiengi district had vast potential to supply substantial quantity of rice and disclosed that K900 million would be spent on rice purchasing in the district next year, but stressed that allocation was subject to adjustment.

Labels: AGRICULTURE, FRA, MARKETING

posted by MrK @ 6:33 AM