By HELEN ZULU –

THE Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) in Kawambwa District in Luapula Province has called on farmers in the district to practice crop diversification by growing other cash crops.
ZNFU District Credit and Facilitator Collins Siasulingana said farmers in the district should seriously engage themselves in growing Soya beans and other cash crops as they were lucrative.
Mr Siasulingana said in an interview that farmers should not depend on growing maize but also embark on growing Soya beans and other cash crops like Sweet beans, and Irish Potatoes as they had a ready market in Zambia.
He said farmers and entrepreneurs should not wait for people to help them, but be innovative and try growing other crops, not only concentrating on producing crops they are familiar with.
“Farmers should not depend on growing maize but also embark on growing Soya beans and other cash crops like Sweet beans, and Irish Potatoes as they have a ready market in the country,” he said.
Mr Siasulingana said farmers need to change their mindset on farming by adopting new farming technologies that will increase their crop productivity and quality.
The union will continue to engage Government and various stakeholders to promote crop diversification and help farmers’ access markets for their produce.
Mr Siasulingana said some farmers in the area have sold 220 x 50 kg bags of Soya beans to High Protein Foods Company and Mount Meru Millers.