By MAIMBOLWA MULIKELELA –
YAMBEEJI Honey and Rice Products Limited has urged Government to set up irrigation infrastructure in Zambezi District in North-Western Province that will support small-scale rice production.
YamBEEji chief executive officer Chibbonta Chilala said the traditional methods of growing rice have proved unsustainable in the face of growing water scarcity, environmental degradation and the shifting ecosystem.
Mr Chilala said it was important for Government to develop irrigation infrastructure in Zambezi which would contribute to the momentum of small-scale rice production.
He said in an interview that rice production had significantly reduced due to low water levels in the Zambezi River.
“We are worried about the agriculture situation in the area because of the low rainfall we are receiving and we would like to urge the Government to set up irrigation infrastructure in the district,” Mr Chilala said.
He said it was critical to increase viable options for farmers in the face of growing water scarcity and environmental degradation.
“We are failing to meet our demand because there is no rice. We have a running contract with Pick n Pay, but we need to source the rice from other districts within North-Western Province,” he said.
Mr Chilala said developing methods that make growing rice an economically viable option for farmers and consumers would be an important component of sustainability.
He said the level of rice production had been going down as a result of the changes in weather patterns.
Government has allocated K56.7 million for irrigation programmes in the 2016 national Budget aimed at expanding the area under irrigation and reducing the dependency on rain-fed agriculture.