Zambia has opportunity to become major maize supplier - Mwale
By Kabanda Chulu
Mon 02 Sep. 2013, 14:00 CAT
THE private sector and commercial farmers are willing to invest in the produ-ction of maize if government removes the uncertainties that surround the staple crop, says Grain Traders Association of Zambia executive director Jacob Mwale.
And Zambia Export Growers Association chief executive officer Luke Mbewe says multiplicity of standards and the high cost of air freight to export markets are negatively affecting the horticultural sector in the country.
During a panel discussion after the launch of the Southern African Agricultural Development Partnership Platform for Zambia under the theme 'innovative approaches to increased private sector participation in agriculture development', Mwale said Zambia had the opportunity of becoming a major supplier of maize in the region.
"We are capable of becoming a reliable supplier of non-GMO grains but government should put in place clear policies that will help farmers to plan in the long term, for instance, government should allow commercial farmers to grow and export maize because currently 90 per cent of maize is produced by small-scale farmers, so commercial farmers will grow for export and this will not affect the country," Mwale said.
"We talk about potential and opportunity but nothing is happening. Imagine we have the agriculture credit Act enacted in 2010 but government doesn't want to implement it…why? Actually, it is these uncertainties that have forced commercial farmers to stay away."
Zambia Women in Agriculture chairperson Cecilia Makota said there must be a discretionary way of dealing with rural women farmers.
"Many of them don't know the issue of standards but they produce more and quality crops," she said.
And Mbewe said stringent sanitary and phytosanitary standards and import restrictions were some of the major barriers to trade in the horticultural sector.
"There is lack of harmonisation on international standards such that our members face similar processes when exporting the produce and also the high cost of certification to standards, especially for small-scale farmers who need technical support," he said.
Earlier, agriculture permanent secretary Siazongo Siakalenge said the partnership had given an opportunity to the government and the private sector to jointly develop and plan strategies on the future of Zambia's agribusiness.
Labels: JACOB MWALE, MAIZE
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Govts must address policies that create imbalances, advises GTAZ
By Kabanda Chulu in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Sun 29 Nov. 2009, 04:00 CAT
GRAIN Traders Association of Zambia (GTAZ) executive director Jacob Mwale has advised regional governments to address policies that create imbalances in the marketing of agriculture commodities.
And Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Union SACAU chief executive director Ishmael Sunga has said food security will be difficult to be attained if certain basic fundamental are not addressed.
Giving a regional perspective from a traders' point of view during the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) second stakeholders meeting on Friday, Mwale said the prevailing mistrust between governments and traders should not be allowed to continue.
“We have to harmonise and find ways of working with governments and these imbalances should be addressed through good policies so that import and export restrictions are carefully planned. For instance, some governments can just wake up and say ‘don't import or export such and such a commodity’,” Mwale said.
“Actually these imbalances are creating instability in the market as you know traders react to conditions prevailing in the market hence the need for harmony among the stakeholders.”
He said it becomes difficult to operate in an environment which is not predictable.
“In some countries, government will just wake up and say we have entered the market buy such and such commodities and as traders, you are forced to sit on the fence and watch because governments should just create an enabling environment for the private sector to operate,” said Mwale.
And Eastern and Southern Africa Farmers Association representative Stephen Mushili said many farmers lack the capacity to position themselves to gain from the emerging market opportunities.
“Just last week the East African Community signed a customs union to result in a bigger market but farmers will not respond favourably since they lack capacity and they will not be in a position to influence the dynamics in these markets,” said Mushili.
And Sunga said in some instances, the marketplace was not fair to farmers due to lack of transparency in the value chain.
“The motivation for farmers is not necessarily to feed the nation but themselves and make income out of the surplus which they expect to realise good returns.
But sometimes the market is not fair and if the lack of transparency is not addressed in the value chain, then food security will not be attained,” said Sunga. “In this value chain, farmers are always in the receiving end due to low prices which are offered by other players.”
Labels: FOOD, GTAZ, HUNGER, JACOB MWALE
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