‘ZAMBIA STILL GRAPPLING WITH MALNUTRITION’
ZAMBIA is still grappling with different types of malnutrition because the country is dependant on one staple food which is maize, says HIVOS Southern Africa Regional Advocacy Manager for Sustainable Foods William Chilufya.
Reacting to Agriculture Minister, Michael Katambo’s recent call for intensified crop diversification, Mr Chilufya told the Daily Nation that the crop diversification was key not only to the wealth of the nation but also to the people of Zambia.
“As Hivos, we were so much excited about the direction that Government is taking in diversifying the agriculture sector.This is long overdue and we would like to see the government move from this point where there is an agreement that crop diversification is the way to go.
“We are a country that is grappling with malnutrition today, so for us to overcome such challenges, we need this to ensure that we produce different types of crops so that Zambians will have access to different types of food,” Mr Chilufya said.
Agriculture Minister Michael Katambo recently called for intensified crop diversification.
Mr Katambo noted that the country Zambia’s agriculture predominantly hinged on maize production and that the country had not made much progress in the cultivation of other crops.
And Mr Chilufya has urged government to create an enabling environment for farmers to market different types of crops.
He said the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) should not only provide market for maize, but also for other crops.
“It is important that Government begin to diversify the market, our markets should be able to support different types of foods. A farmer will always go for a crop when they know that there is market and value,” he said. Mr Chilufya added that Hivos had been advocating for crop diversification in Zambia, with the aim of reducing Malnutrition levels.
He observed that research had proven that most diseases and deaths in the country were as a result of the food that people were eating.
“As Hivos, we have been bringing on board the issue of crop diversification, so that we can have different types of food on our plates to help address the issue of malnutrition.
“So if we went into crop diversification and we try to promote our local grown food to be on our own plate, the issue of malnutrition in Zambia will be a thing of the past,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Chilufya also encouraged young people to take up agriculture as a career.
“Let’s encourage the youths in venture in agriculture. Agriculture is not for failures and Hivos has been working with the youths who are working on sustainable food and clearly they are saying agriculture is the way to go,” he said.