Maravi

Thandiwe urges dealers not to frustrate farmers

Thandiwe urges dealers not to frustrate farmers
By Sandra Lombe
Sun 23 May 2010, 04:00 CAT

FIRST lady Thandiwe Banda says agro-dealers should not frustrate Conservation Agriculture (CA) farmers.

Speaking in Kapiri Mposhi on Thursday when she officiated at the hand over of bicycles to 588 CA farmers, Thandiwe urged agro-dealers in the district to immediately start preparing and stocking up for this year’s farming season.

“Do not frustrate our Conservation Agriculture farmers. Please provide quality implements and agro inputs in order for them to yield positive results in their farming,” she said.

“The same goes to the extension staff in all agricultural camps.”

Thandiwe also urged extension staff to ensure that they continue visiting the farmers on a regular basis, as there would be no excuse of lack of transport after being provided with transport and logical support.

“Besides, this town has very fertile soils and a favourable climate to ably support agricultural production and productivity. I have been informed that Kapiri Mposhi has a total of 35, 133 registered farmers out of a population of about 240,000 people,” she said.

Thandiwe said the district could not fail to produce enough food to feed its population and still export the surplus to other provinces and countries.

FAO country representative Noureddin Mona pledged his organisation’s commitment in conservation agriculture.

“As FAO we are committed to working with government so as to build farmers resilience to exogenous shocks and improving food security over long term,” said Mona.

Labels: AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION FARMING, FARMERS, THANDIWE BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:45 AM