By CHILA NAMAIKO –

GOVERNMENT has released more than K900,000 for this year’s rehabilitation of more than 10 livestock dip tanks in Choma while the construction of new ones is underway soon.
Choma District Commissioner Sheena Muleya also said the department of Fisheries has embarked on fish stocking in various ponds and that more than 25 ponds have been stocked across the district.
Ms Muleya said the livestock development was engrossed with challenges such as limited funds being invested hence Government embarking on a programme to revamp the sector.
She said at the just-ended district agricultural and commercial show that Government had released K970,000 towards rehabilitation of 12 dip tanks to improve the livestock production.
“Government is ensuring that all aspects of the agricultural sector receive an equitable share of Government investment,” she said.
Choma was among some districts in Southern Province experiencing annual livestock diseases such as foot and mouth, and Government was putting stringent measures by encouraging farmers to vaccinate and dip their animals.
Meanwhile, the department of Fisheries was undertaking pond stocking and 29 fish ponds have been stocked in areas such as Nakeempa, Mboole and Mbabala thereby representing a total of 11,765 fingerlings.
Ms Muleya said, apart from pond stocking, the department was this year focusing on establishing based fingerling production centres in Choma and some areas have already been identified.
She said the total number of fish farmers in the district has since grown to 158 by the end of last year from 98 in 2011.
“I am therefore calling upon farmers to go into fish farming because fish is the cheapest and safest source of protein and medically proven to have no health complications like red meat,” she said.
In mitigating the effects of climate change, Ms Muleya called on farmers to embrace conservation farming through concerted use of rippers, shackle hoes and chemicals.