‘Agriculture research in SADC is a disaster’
Written by Florence Bupe
Saturday, April 11, 2009 5:39:16 AM
GREEN Valley Agriculture Research Trust (GART) director Dr Stephen Muliokela has observed that agriculture research in the SADC region is a disaster.
In his presentation to the Regional Conservation Agriculture Tour delegates in Chisamba on Tuesday, Dr Muliokela said governments in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, including Zambia, needed to invest more in agricultural research to mitigate future food crises.
“We need to appreciate that research may not benefit us now, but it will profit us in the long term,” he said.
Dr Muliokela said the government should adopt technology incubation for the promotion of conservation agriculture.
“Government needs to come up with technology incubation fund for agriculture support programmes, just like we have the FSP [fertiliser support programme] in place,” he said.
Dr Muliokela said there was need for the country to move away from donor dependence for food security.
He said Zambia and other countries in the region should come up with conducive policies that would encourage conservation farming as a sustainable way of enhancing food security both at household and national levels.
“We can’t keep relying on donor aid. We have to make progress and ensure that we have sustainable harvests at national level,” he said.
He further called for increased commitment towards agriculture-related infrastructure and small-scale farmer support.
“Government should focus on oxen and hand-hoe farmers because they’re in the majority and are vital for poverty reduction. These farmers use less resources but have a great impact on household food security,” said Dr Muliokela.
Labels: AGRICULTURE, GART, RESEARCH, SADC, STEPHEN MULIOKELA
Read more...
Mudenda advises dairy farmers on co-operation
Written by George Zulu
Thursday, November 13, 2008 6:14:14 PM
DAIRYSAV project coordinator Mweetwa Mudenda has said
lack of organised small-scale dairyfarmer groups in Western Province has led to the collapse of milk production in the province.
During a tour of selected dairy farms in the Southern Province organised by GART and Micro-Bankers Trust, Mudenda said
lack of milk production on a commercial basis in Western Province had resulted from the absence of organised farmer groups that focus on cooperatives as a business venture.
Some dairy farmers from Mongu and Senanga were part of the team that visited some dairy farms in Southern Province.
Mudenda said despite people having a lot of dairy animals, they did not take milk production as a source of income and investment by forming cooperatives.
“The only way dairy farmers can benefit from their animals is through milk production and forming of cooperatives which will manage their finances and the provision of technical support on how to increase the production of milk,” he said.
Mudenda expressed hope that the coming on board of the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) was an encouragement towards the revival of cooperatives in the province in order economically empower the people of Western Province.
He also expressed hope that the tour of Southern Province by dairy farmers from Mongu and Senanga would bring a different dimension in the manner people in the province view dairy farming at both commercial and subsistence levels.
Mudenda further said DairySav would also offer capacity building in dairy technical skills and expanded access to financial service, adding that this would enable the farmers avoid manipulation in the running of the cooperatives.
Labels: BAROTSE ROYAL ESTABLISHMENT, COOPERATIVES, DAIRY, DAIRYSAV, GART, MWEETA MUDENDA, WESTERN PROVINCE
Read more...
Monze dairy farmers plan to double production
Written by George Zulu in Monze
Saturday, November 08, 2008 6:25:59 AM
MONZE Dairy Farmers Cooperatives (MDFC) is working on plans to increase its milk production from 46,000 litres per month to 100,000 litres by the end of December this year. In an interview, MDFC manager Michelo Kasauta said the cooperative intends to increase the production of both sour and fresh milk by next month. He said the projected increase in fresh milk production is due to increased participation by small-scale dairy farmers in the district.
“The number of small-scale dairy farmers in the district has increased from 189 to 230 and this will result in the increased milk production especially during the rainy season when water and grass for our dairy animals is readily available in most parts of the district,” he said.
Kasauta said there were many other factors that would lead to the increase in milk production, among them the technical support received from co-operating partners such as the Golden Valley Agricultural Research Trust [GART] and government’s support to the sector.
He said dairy farmers were able to make and conserve animal feed using simple mechanisms for the dry season and that production of milk for the market had improved compared to the past years.
Kasauta also said increased investments in the dairy sector could ensure high production of dairy products for the local and export market for the benefit of farmers and consumers.
He also said the dairy co-operative had embarked on a small-scale production of yoghurt for local consumers.
Kasauta also commended the government for providing the cooperative with generators and other facilities for improved milk storage.
The Monze Dairy Co-operative has set up a milk collection point for its members in the area. Parmalat Zambia is one of the major buyers of milk from the Monze Dairy Co-operative for use at its dairy processing plants in the country.
Labels: COOPERATIVES, DAIRY, GART, MDFC, MICHELO KASAUTA, MONZE
Read more...
GART calls for promotion of Guar gum
By Fridah Zinyama
Saturday August 23, 2008 [04:00]
THE Golden Valley Agricultural Research Trust (GART) has said there is need to promote cash crops like Guar gum in the country if poverty in rural areas is to be eradicated. And National Network Project on Arid Legumes in India Dr Devender Kumar said certain cash crops like Guar gum are very important to the improvement of people's livelihood.
Guar gum is a water-soluble paste made from the seeds of the guar plant and has multi-purposes in that it can be used as a thickener and stabiliser in foods and pharmaceuticals.
During the promotion of Guar gum to stakeholders at Pamodzi Hotel on Thursday, Dr Stephen Muliokela said Guar gum was an important crop which GART was promoting in the country.
"It is also commonly sold as a herbal supplement to promote weight loss. The largest market for guar gum is in the food industry, where it is used as a thickener and binder of free water in sauces, salad dressings, ice creams, instant noodles, pet foods, processed meats, bread improvers and beverages," Dr Muliokela said. "Industrial applications of guar gum include its use in the textile, paper, explosives, mining and pharmaceutical industries."
He added that GART had already carried out trials in certain parts of the country to see how the yield rates and tests had already been carried out in food industry.
And Dr Kumar said Guar gum was a very useful crop with multiple uses.
"Guar provides nutritious fodder and concentrate to the livestock sector," he said. "It is a rich source of crude protein."
Dr Kumar said Guar can be used in different industries in the country and it was a good crop for both small and large farmers to grow due to its usefulness.
There is a ready market for it on the international market and the farmers can be assured of a ready market for their product.
Labels: AGRICULTURE, GART, GUAR GUM
Read more...
NORAD gives GART $25m to implement farming projects
By Kabanda Chulu
Friday February 01, 2008 [03:00]
NORAD has committed US $25 million to the Golden-valley Agriculture Research Trust (GART) for the implementation of conservation farming projects across the country. GART will carry out the projects in conjunction with the Conservation Farming Unit (CFU) for five years and target 120,000 farmers in five provinces.
According to a statement released by the Conservation Farming Unit yesterday, NORAD was funding the entire project that would see small-scale farmers being introduced to new techniques and crop rotation systems.
It stated that there was need to introduce Zambian small scale farmers to methods that would preserve soil fertility through growing of plants that were rich in nitrogen nutrients.
“The five-year project worth US $25 million will end in 2012 and it is funded by Norway and will be implemented by GART and CFU across five provinces targeting 120,000 farmers, whom we intend to introduce to new systems of preserving soil fertility through crop rotation,” it stated. “These farmers will also be encouraged to plant crops together with the faidherbia albida (musangu) trees that are rich in nitrogen nutrients hence there will be no need to apply fertilisers since conservation farming entails one to have soil fertility through use of dead leaves and residues.”
It stated that small-scale farmers would also be encouraged to grow cassava and jatropha plants as live fencing for their crops.
The project would be undertaken in Central, Lusaka, Western, Eastern and Southern provinces.
Labels: CONSERVATION FARMIING, GART, NORAD
Read more...
