By MILDRED KATONGO –
GOVERNMENT has deployed more than 500 agriculture extension officers countrywide in order to ensure that small-scales farmers are availed with information on farming activities.
Agriculture and Livestock Minister Given Lubinda said the move was aimed at helping farmers in their decision-making and ensuring that appropriate knowledge was used to obtain the best results in their farming.
He said this during Zambia National farmers Union (ZNFU)’s The farmer Programme on Zambia National Broadcasting Services (ZNBC) on Monday evening.
Mr Lubinda said agricultural extension officers were intermediaries between research and farmers as they operated as facilitators and communicators.
He said Government prioritised the needs of farmers and hence the move to deploy more than 500 agriculture extension officers.
“Government has deployed more than 500 agriculture extension officers’ country wide, to help the farmers on how best they can go about their farming activities, we will still deploy more because we have a heart for farmers,” he said.
Mr Lubinda said agricultural extension officers needed to communicate to farmers agricultural information on natural resources, animals, and crops and on how best to utilise the farmland, among other issues.
He said officers needed to ensure that farmers understood the information and used it on their farms in order to obtain the best production.
