DESPITE the drought Zambia’s target is still 10 million metric tonnes of maize and one million metric tonnes of wheat, President Hakainde Hichilema has said.
President Hichilema said this while touring Damust Farm owned by Joseph Daka, a commercial farmer in Mkushi.
“Whether there is drought or not, we will keep our eyes on the ball,” President Hichilema said Yesterday before he launched the early maize harvest.
Meanwhile, Daka, and the Zambia National Farmer Union (ZNFU) president Jervis Zimba, appealed to the president for the country to stop important of onions as Zambia was self sufficient.
Zimba disclosed private farmers had increased their production of onion in last two years to satisfy the local market.
“We were spending about US$12 million on onions (and) potato imports as a country from South Africa, now the money is local which means more jobs will be created,” added Zimba.
Zimba highlighted plans to increase production of tree crops and rice aiming to cut off imports.
“We are looking at rice, we have these water bodies, what is making us not to satisfy the local market?” Zimba stressed in emphasising that Zambia was capable of producing rice for export.
He called for further studies in growing rice and halting on rice imports to create the market.
“We need to do work together to see that the rice issues are sorted out. Once the Head of State says ‘no more imports of rice then we are good.”
President Hakainde Hichilema was impressed with the onion being cultivated at Damust and the progress they made in cultivating early maize.
The Head of State thanked the farmers for heeding to the call of cultivating early maize, praised Daka’s plans of cultivating 12 tonnes per hectare of Maize
He urged Daka and farmers to utilise the current leadership in enhancing the sector as farming was part of the Government’s vision.
President Hichilema also encouraged the commercial farmers to teach small – medium scale farmers and exchange knowledge.
“You don’t have to persuade or plead with us, this is our vision but you also don’t have to wait for us to do the things that you want. You have to tells us what you want. Be specific.”
“We cannot have a country with food insecurity,” President Hichilema emphasised while stating that Government will prioritise Damming, Energy and tax waivers to boost production and productivity.
Meanwhile Zimba told the President that the yield for the next harvest will be more than 350,000 metric tonnes with everything well put in place.
By Moses Makwaya in Mkushi
Kalemba March 20, 2024
