ZNFU proposes energy diversification to support irrigation

THE Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) says the agriculture disasters underscores the fragile nature of farming because of limited irrigation investments and high dependency on hydro generated electricity.

ZNFU Manager - Communication, Media and Public Relations Services, Elias Banda, said it is a fact irrigation is the key to sustainable farming and the country needs to diversify its sources of energy.

Mr Banda said farmers at all levels are committed to work with government to invest in irrigation and solar generated power but key to address should be the underlying causes for low investments in these areas in the past.

Meanwhile, Mr Banda said the union has welcomed the declaration of drought as a national disaster by President Hakainde Hichilema and the measures that will be taken to mitigate and resolve the negative effects of this drought.

“This drought has been brought about by the El Nino and its effects. It has affected the agricultural sector with many farmers failing to meet their crop targets and their animal pasture drying out. This ultimately affects the families, communities and Zambia’s national food security.

As a result, many farmers will not be able to meet their financial obligations to creditors for the seeds and equipment that they obtained for this farming season. Others will not be able to continue with their farming activities as this depended on them selling their produce to refinance their activities. It will take farmers many years to recover from what has happened this season, “Mr Banda said.

He said the union is pleased that government will in view of this declaration, be re-aligning its resources to come to the aid the farmers and that those farmers that have loans or are not insured will have their situations looked at.