Sinadambwe urges farmers to take farming as a business
By Snike Mzulah in Siavonga
Tue 16 July 2013, 14:00 CAT

CHIEF Sinadambwe of the Tonga people in Southern Province has urged farmers in the district to take farming as a business and use it to transform their lives for the better.

In an interview, chief Sinadambwe said it was high time people stopped taking farming as just a routine aimed at producing food for their families but rather as a way of earning money to support themselves.

"We are all aware that the country's economy relies heavily on agriculture and it is therefore important that as local farmers, we take farming as business so as to ensure we progress as a country in as far as the economy is concerned," he said.

And chief Sinadambwe said farmers would be unable to purchase fertiliser because they did not have money.

"This year we are going to have a big problem even though the fertiliser is going to be delivered to us because as farmers we have no money to purchase the fertiliser. We are not selling anything to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) because of the crops which were not doing well, " he said.

He appealed to the government to assist the farmers in his chiefdom by giving them loans for fertiliser so that they are able to plant this season.

"Otherwise, government can just loan us fertiliser and we can pay back in 2014 after we sell our produce to FRA," he said.

And chief Sinadambwe called on the government and well wishers to support him financially towards the preparation of the Lwiindi ceremony which is slated for September 29.