ZNS TO START PRODUCING SEEDS
THE Zambia National Service (ZNS) and Zambia Army demonstration plots at the 2022 Agricultural and Commercial show were lush green.
Both military wings exhibited their best vegetable production which was the envy of the passersby during the recent show in the Lusaka showgrounds.
The Zambia Army has lately taken to farming in response to the challenge by Government to contribute to economic diversification and become financially self-sustaining.
“Farming has always been there. It has been in the background,” said Taza Phiri, the Zambia Army director of farms as he interacted with showgoers who visited the 50x25 meters demonstration plot.
Colonel Phiri said apart from some of the crops exhibited during the show, the army is also engaged in animal husbandry such as cattle ranching, poultry production as well as fish farming.
At its 100 hectare farm in Makeni, the army is engaged in poultry rearing about 10, 000 chickens.
There is also also a pond for fish production.
Crops cultivated at the Makeni farm are maize, soybeans and beans.
Cattle ranching is done in Luapula, Muchinga and North-Western provinces where Boran, Bosmara and Braman are cross-bred.
Mikango Barracks is involved in piggery and ranching.
“We want to enhance national food security, fight hunger and unemployment,” Col. Phiri told showgoers who were eager to learn more about the army’s involvement in farming.
He said the army has made sure where there is a barrack, there is a farm.
Col. Phiri said the army wants to demonstrate that it can be involved in food production besides mopping up maize and other crops on behalf of the Food Reserve Agency.
The ZNS demonstration plot also charmed showgoers.
On its 50x35 meters plot, the ZNS showcased beetroot, broccoli, chomolia, carrots, onions, tomatoes and spinach.
Brigadier-General Mutandalike Choonga, the ZNS Chief of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries was happy the service emerged overall best in agricultural exhibit.
Speaking shortly after receiving the overall best agricultural exhibit and overall demo plot awards, Brig-Gen Choonga said what ZNS exhibited at the show was just a tip of what it does countrywide.
ZNS boasts of 20, 000 hectares of land for both crop and animal husbandry, including fish.
Of the 20, 000, Brig-Gen Choonga says 4, 000 hectares has been dedicated to crops such as maize, soybeans and wheat.
“We want to add other demand crops. We have inquiries from India for cowpeas and pigeon peas,” he says.
ZNS recently resumed tobacco cultivation at its Nyati Farm in Choma.
Brig-Gen Choonga says ZNS intends to concentrate on the same crops it has been cultivating while embracing new ones such as cannabis.
ZNS is the only institution mandated by Government to grow cannabis on pilot basis.
Brig-Gen Choonga said ZNS intends to start seed production in view of difficulties farmers in rural areas face in accessing seed.
He said Chanyanya unit in Kafue will be a centre of excellence for fish production.
Chanyanya, with 300 hectares dedicated to fish production, is expected to start producing 9, 600 metric tonnes of fish per cycle.
And the Zambia Air Force (ZAF) has equally diversified to agricultural production to supplement the grant from the treasury and become self-sustainable.
At the just-ended 94th Agricultural and Commercial Show held under the theme “Innovation through Technology - Technology Transforms Business,” ZAF showcased 10 cattle out of the 500 stock.
The 10 cattle that graced the livestock section were all Boran bulls from the ZAF Chisamba farm.
President Hakainde Hichilema who toured the ZAF stand, was impressed with the exhibition by ZAF and bought one bull. All the 10 bulls, costing K18, 000 each, sold out.
Chisamba farm manager Lieutenant Bwalya Nsama, Warrant Officer Remmy Kafwila from ZAF Mumbwa base and other personnel were on hand to explain the other agricultural activities such as fish farming and chicken rearing.
ZAF head of public relations Lieutenant Colonel Helen Chota said the air force remains committed to exploring innovative systems and technologies towards a stable and prosperous Zambia.