Maravi

ZNFU hails govt policy on agriculture sector

ZNFU hails govt policy on agriculture sector
By Gift Chanda and Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Thu 20 Oct. 2011, 08:20 CAT

ZNFU says President Michael Sata's pronouncement that he will make a dent on weak infrastructure in water harvesting should help to exhume the much touted K37 billion irrigation fund which sunk into oblivion four years ago. Jervis Zimba said the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) was happy with the number of positive pronouncements made by President Sata in his inaugural address to Parliament last Friday.

During his address to Parliament, President Sata announced sweeping policy reforms to help boost the performance of the domestic agriculture sector as the PF government attempts to prioritise investments in appropriate water harvesting technologies to make water available to farmers for irrigation all year round would, reducing the cost of borrowing in the country and transforming the maize tailored FISP.

Reacting to the Presidential speech, Zimba said President Sata's address focused on fundamental issues which, if implemented, would chart the course of the performance of the agriculture sector to greater prosperity for all Zambians.

"The union welcomes the fact that government will promote pro-poor growth and that agriculture development will be one of the four core development programmes earmarked to deliver this growth," Zimba said.

The government had in the past attempted to establish the irrigation fund with initial seed money of K37 billion which could not be distributed via commercial banks.

The fund was later transferred to Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission despite protests from local farmers before it died a natural death.

Zimba, however, said benchmarks should be set to frequently monitor and evaluate progress on policies the PF government has pledged to implement.

Labels: JERVIS ZIMBA, MICHAEL SATA, ZNFU

posted by MrK @ 2:44 PM