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FOSUP urges govt to reconsider sale of maize to Kenya

FOSUP urges govt to reconsider sale of maize to Kenya
By Kabanda Chulu
Mon 16 Nov. 2009, 04:00 CAT

FARMER Organisation Support Programme (FOSUP) executive director Mike Muleba yesterday advised government to reconsider the proposed sale of excess maize to Kenya since the bumper harvest does not correspond with prices on the market.

And Muleba said global hunger crisis can be avoided and all people can have something to eat if food crops are fairly distributed across the world.
Commenting on the world summit on food security that begins today in Rome, Italy, Muleba said the Zambian government should develop deliberate measures on food security.

“We talk about having a bumper harvest of maize but does this fit into the equation of food security? It doesn’t because it does not correspond with prices on the market since if you have a surplus, normally prices will come down but this is not the situation,” Muleba said. “Exports should be considered if the country maintains a stable production with considerable surplus of about three to four years and not just one particular season hence there is need for government to reconsider the proposed sale of maize because we do not know what will happen next year.”

This year Zambia recorded a surplus of over 200,000 metric tonnes of maize which the government intends to sale to Kenya while the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) would remain with a paltry 100,000 metric tonnes as national reserves.
Muleba said developed countries should consider building capacity and supporting least developed countries to produce enough food locally rather than using them as dumping grounds.

“The current technology we have is not sufficient to enhance food production and research has stagnated so the developed world should support us build capacity and produce more food and hunger can be avoided if only food is distributed fairly across the world since there is plenty of food in the West that normally goes to waste,” said Muleba.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), over one billion people are facing hunger and one in six people go to bed without food every day.

Labels: FARMER ORGANISATION SUPPORT PROGRAM, MAIZE

posted by MrK @ 4:59 AM