Agriculture still major contributor to economy #zambia

FARMING is a business and because of that, the
Government is very much aware that the agriculture sector
is a major employer, especially among women and youths.
Currently, agriculture remains a major contributor factor to
the economy of Zambia with 13 percent to the country's
Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Overall, Eastern Province became the highest producer of
maize at 736, 936 metric tones during the 2013/14 farming
season in the country.
The production of 736, 936 metric tonnes of maize this year
has also surpassed 622,604 produced during the 2012/2013
farming season in the province thereby representing 18.4
percent of the total production in the country.
Eastern Province Minister Malozo Sichone said at this
year's 38th provincial agricultural and commercial show
held at Show-ground in Chipata that the province also
recorded the highest production in cotton, burley tobacco,
sunflower, groundnuts and soya beans at national level.
Mr Sichone said through Deputy Permanent Secretary
Zechariah Luhanga that the province recorded an increase
in the production of burley tobacco at 8,972 metric tones
from 7,548 metric tones produced last farming season.
"For groundnuts, the province recorded 37,833 metric tones
from last year's 23,940 metric tones and 17,246 metric
tones recorded for soya beans from last year's 5,592 metric
tones," he said.
The minister said the increase in production means that the
farmers have sufficient food for consumption which was
important for the national food security and would be able to
sell the surplus and earn income.
According to the Zambia Investor Guide of 2012, the
Government has put in place several incentives to
encourage investment in agriculture sector such as zero
rating agriculture products and suppliers when exporting
and value added tax (VAT) suspension of importation of
agriculture equipment and machinery.
However, the Government was also aware that farmers were
facing a lot of challenges in the sector such as failing to
access profitable markets for their farm produce due to
unfavourable conditions set by some out-grower
companies, poor road infrastructure, lack of access to
quality healthy services due to long distances to health
facilities and lack of clean drinking water in other parts of
the country.
It is for this reasons and many others in which the Chipata
District Farmers Association (CDFA) which draws
membership from independent and democratically
organised Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs)
belonging to the farmers of the district.
Currently the Government was in full support of the work of
the CDFA which was up-lifting the lives of the small-holder
farmers.
According to Organisational Coordinator Virgil Malambo,
CDFA has a vision of a self-sustaining farming community.
The association was officially registered and incorporated
under the Laws of Zambia in 2005 with a mission to unite,
protect and empower members to lobby and advocate for
pro-poor policies that promote secure livelihoods, poverty
eradication and development.
The association had been working with various donors
communities aimed at empowering the local farmers in
different ways.
Recently during the CDFA annual general meeting, Chipata
District Commissioner Kalunga Zulu said his Government
was determined to improve the agriculture sector through
effective management of the Zambia's Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) policy on agriculture.
"I want to assure this house that the Government of the
Republic of Zambia will continue to support the efforts made
by civil society organizations like Chipata District Farmers
Association in up-lifting the lives of small-holder farmers,"
he stated.
Mr Zulu explained that a number of farmers have managed
to access farming inputs like fertiliser and maize seed
under the Lima Credit Scheme, supported by the Zambia
National Farmers Union (ZNFU)and Zambia National
Commercial (ZANACO)Bank.
"Mr Chairman, this is a remarkable work and farmers should
take advantage of such facility in order to maximize their
production and productivity and increase household food
security," he said.
The district commissioner said that the Government which
was a listening Government has increased the number of
small-holder farmers in order to benefit a number of
farmers.
He said during the 2014/15 farming season under the
Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) the number of
farmers have swelled up from 43,930 to 45,000.
He urged the farmers to be on the look -out for the crop
marketing season that has just started.
Mr Zulu said the desire of the Government was to see the
farmers to have alternative or additional income generating
ventures so as to boost their incomes levels.
"Chipata District needs investors who can set up a plant for
processing primary agro-products into finished products
and as a government we are ready to provide support to
such an investor. Let me commend the efforts done by the
Chipata District Farmers Association by uniting, protecting
and empowering small-holder farmers of Chipata District,"
he said.
Speaking at the same function, ZNFU director Joseph Lungu
said the union was currently enjoying good working
relationship with the Government.
He said ZNFU has been a representing farmer in Zambia for
the past 109 years saying CDFA was a ZNFU at district
level.
Mr Lungu told the house that ZNFU had a woman president
in the names of Dr Evelyn Nguleka.
He however, reminded the Government over the late
distribution of farming inputs as well as late payment of
money to the farmers for the maize which were being sold to
the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
Chipata District Farmers Association (CDFA) Chairperson
Tedson Maseko and Trustee Esnart Mushiba emphasised on
the association's growth.
Ms Mushiba noted that CDFA has grown and reminded the
members to continue working hard as there was no one
who would develop own areas apart from themselves.
In a nutshell, CDFA has become a reliable organization or
spokesperson for the farmers which lobbies on behalf of the
small-holders.