Conservation farming way to go - civic leader
FARMERS should practice conservation farming and crop diversification to minimise risks related to agriculture activities, Mkushi District Council chairprson Evans Bwalya has said.
And Mr. Bwalya said the government was committed to promotion of agriculture to create employment and reduce poverty among Zambians.
Mr. Bwalya said this during the commemoration of International Cooperative Day under the theme: “Cooperatives for decent work,” which is celebrated in second week of July every year but was postponed to last Friday.
Mr. Bwalya urged farmers not to concentrate on accessing fertiliser inputs alone but to consider legumes as well as and prepare to fight army worms.
Mr. Bwalya also implored cooperatives to engage in income generating activities for sustainability, as they act has a guarantee for them to get a loan or receive support from government agricultural programmes.
“Cooperatives are expected to participate in generation of income through provision of agro services such as renting storage facilities, transportation of inputs and outputs. Also value addition like managing of solar powered hammer mills,” Mr. Bwalya said.
Mr. Bwalya also encouraged cooperatives to understand the importance of submitting annual returns. He said the records help government to access the performance of farmer groups and make informed decisions.
He said according to the Cooperative Act the line ministry was at liberty to deregister farmer groups that were dormant.
And Mkushi District Agriculture Coordinator Reuben Kabiti urged members to support their cooperatives to achieve their goals.