SAFADA, Atlas Mara to support farmers
SMALL-SCALE Farmers Development Agency (SAFADA) will partner with Atlas Mara to complement Government efforts in providing easy financial transaction between farmers and the business sector, SAFADA director, Boyd Moombwe, has said.
He said the two institutions would mobilise small scale farmer for financial capacity building and support system to encourage them to save as they earn.
Mr Moombwe said this during an economic partnership agreement meeting in Mapoko area of Mumbwa District which SAFADA facilitated for small scale farmers, private sector and other business organizations.
“Atlas Mara, in collaboration with SAFADA, will introduce village bank to easy financial transaction between farmers and the business community,” he said.
“We will also embark on financial literacy and possible access to financial services through Tenga products and services,” Mr Moombwe said.
He explained that the arrangement would encourage the private sector to work with farmers to support them with the much needed financial support for increased production.
“The planned Economic Partnership Agreement arrangement will encourage the private sector to come closer to the farming community through supporting it with the necessary technical and financial support to boost agriculture production, marketing and investment,” he said. Mr Moombwe said the agency was targeting to work with 600, 000 small scale farmers by 2030 as this would supplement governments efforts in assisting small scale farmers in Zambia.
He appealed to stakeholders to come on board to assist farmers who had decided to diversify in order to mitigate the impact of drought on agriculture and the general welfare of the farming community in the nation.