SOLWEZI SAO CALLS ON FARMERS TO INSURE CROPS AGAINST NATURAL DISASTERS

Solwezi District Senior Agricultural Officer (SAO), Andrew Mwape has called on Small scale and Commercial Farmers to consider insuring their crops against eventualities such as drought and floods in order to avoid losses.

Mr Mwape says insurance of crops and other agricultural produce is one area that most farmers have not taken seriously.

He stressed that following the poor rainfall that has affected most parts of the country this year, most small-scale farmers will be affected as they depend entirely on a year' s harvest.

"This year, most smallscale farmers will be hit by hunger as the season has not been good due to poor rainfall, the other problem that we have is that most of our farmers do not insure their crops," said Mr Mwape.

He adds that despite sensitization on the importance of insurance, most farmers did not see its relevance and he called for a change of mindset.

"We have been sensitizing farmers on the importance of insurance but mindset change takes a bit of time,’’ said Mr Mwape.

Mr Mwape has also stressed on the need for farmers to diversify their crops in order to avert shocks.

"What has happened this year is what we have always been talking about with the farmers, diversification can not be overemphasized, farmers should learn to grow drought resistant crops such as Cassava and millet,’’ said Mr Mwape.

He added that diversification is beneficial to farmers in that, it adds to the nutrition of the soil and can reduce costs especially if crop rotation is practiced.

He however disclosed that the department is promoting climate smart agriculture and has been training farmers in conservation agriculture as well as inter cropping.

"With these effects of climate change, we have been training farmers in different methods that they can use to conserve the environment while conducting their business such as conservation farming,’’ said Mr Mwape.

Mr Mwape has also disclosed that following the preliminary crop harvest survey for the 2023/2024 farming season conducted in December last year, the production of maize is likely to reduce this season compared to the 2022/ 2023 farming season.

He says the 2022/ 2023 preliminary crop harvest survey indicated that Solwezi district would produce 889, 446.80 by 50kg bags of maize while the 2023/2024 season survey is indicating that the district is likely to produce 362,655 by 50kg bags of Maize.

He stressed that the production from the district may even be lower than anticipated owing to the fact the survey was conducted during the dry spell in December and that the crop has continued receiving inadequate water especially at a critical stage when it is tasseling.

Mr Mwape said his department has already identified farmers that can work with the government to grow winter maize and help the nation be food secure.

"Government already asked us to submit names of farmers that can help grow winter maize and we have already submitted and we are waiting for further instructions," said Mwape.

He has however urged farmers especially those along streams and rivers to take advantage of simple irrigation technologies available to do gardening or grow winter maize for survival.