Maravi

(LUSAKATIMES) Rupiah calls for another bumper harvest

Rupiah calls for another bumper harvest
Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 14:41

President Rupiah Banda says farmers should work hard and produce an even larger yield next year in order for the country to attain sustainability through food security. Speaking in Mumbwa district today when he launched the 2010/2011 planting season, President Banda through acting agriculture minister Peter Daka, said food surplus was vital for Zambia’s self dependency.

“There is is need for the country to attain food self sufficiency and have surplus food reserves, therefore I urge the farmers to work towards producing another bumper harvest,” he said.

President Banda who has not been able to speak since he returned from Brazil due to a cold, said this this in a speech read for him by acting Agriculture Minister Peter Daka.

He said government has so far provided about K37 billion to build dams for irrigation and supply of water.

President Banda explained that this was important in order to revamp the agriculture sector.

And President Banda announced that his government had increased subsidies to the Fertilizer input Support programme.

He said over 900,000 small scale farmers would benefit from the inputs across the country.

Zambia National Farmers Union President Jervis Zimba urged farmers to take advantage of the programme and advised them to utilise it rightfully.

Labels: MAIZE, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 4:36 PM