By HELEN ZULU –
THE Government’s introduction of the e-voucher in the agriculture sector in 2015 and the inclusion of other crops in the Farmer Input Support Programme is commendable, the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has said.
ZNFU president Evelyn Nguleka said the Government piloted the e-voucher in 13 districts and introduced more crops in the FISP.
“This is a clear indication that the Government is indeed committed to embracing technology which facilitates easy access to inputs in a cost-effective way while promoting crop diversification,” Dr Nguleka said.
She said this at the launch of the 2015/2016 planting season in Shimabala, Kafue District, on Wednesday.
She urged farmers to diversify their crop production and select crop varieties which would reach maturity within the remaining wet months.
Dr Nguleka said that climatic changes in the country called for serious diversification as it was becoming difficult to depend on maize production alone.
“As we launch this planting season, we have to bear in mind the fact that climatic changes call for serious diversification.
“The rains have just started, therefore, I would like to urge my fellow farmers to diversify their production and carefully select crop varieties which will reach maturity within the remaining wet months,” Dr Nguleka said.
She said the launch took place at a time when the country and the world at large were experiencing serious climatic and economic challenges.
Deputy Agriculture Minister Maxus Ng’onga said the 2015/2016 planting season launch was aimed at promoting conservation agriculture and crop diversification to increase and sustain productivity levels even in situations of changing weather patterns.
Mr Ng’onga said the Government would continue promoting conservation agriculture among small-scale farmers in view of the changing weather patterns.
He said the initiative had brought on board other crops like rice, cotton, sorghum, sunflower and groundnuts to encourage the farmers to diversify their production.