farmers open agro shop #zambia

FARMERS in Livingstone have established an agro
shop stocked with various farming implements
aimed at empowering women growers in the
tourist capital.
Livingstone District Commissioner Omer
Munsanje, who officially launched the shop
yesterday, said the Government supports
women initiatives that were aimed at improving
their livelihoods and fostering economic
development.
Mr Munsanje said the efforts taken by women in
the formation of the cooperative and agro-shop
was an answer to Government's call to create
sustainable measures to initiate projects aimed at
creating more jobs and reduce poverty.
Mr Munsanje said Government would play a part
in supporting such initiatives especially among
women by way of ensuring that farmers acquire
inputs at the right time.
"The effort taken by the women in this co-
operative is therefore an answer to Government's
call to create sustenance and mitigation measures
to the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP)
and Government will play its part by supporting
such initiatives aimed at job creation and poverty
reduction especially among the women by way
of ensuring that farmers acquire the inputs at the
right time," he said.
Mr Munsanje said efforts by the private sector
would go a long way in improving service
delivery of inputs to small scale farmers.
And Zambia Chamber of Small and Medium
Business Associations (ZCSMBA) Livingstone
Chairperson George Banda said the low levels of
entrepreneurship skills and management
competency had limited the ability of most
associations to grow beyond the establishment
phase.
Mr Banda said for the Livingstone farmers'
cooperative to achieve sustainable qualitative
growth, its members needed to be oriented
towards good business skills and management.
He said the ZCSMBA in collaboration with
Government would endeavor to improve Small
and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) performance by
creating an enabling environment for small
businesses by providing guidance.
"ZCSMBA in collaboration with Government will
endeavour to improve the SMES performance by
creating an enabling environment for small
businesses by providing the needed guidance
and support to their respective business needs,"
Mr Banda said.
And Livingstone Farmers Cooperative
chairperson Rwinick Mapanza said it was
gratifying that women had come up with such an
idea that needed to be supported by all.