Agro allocation low, says CTPD
GOVERNMENT should urgently rehabilitate the Sesheke-Livingstone road to protect both goods and human life, Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) has advised.
WBCG business development manager for Zambia, James Kaposa, said the stretch which runs from KatimaMulilo border with Namibia feeding into Livingstone to Lusaka was an important trade link.
Mr Kaposa was speaking after meeting with some transporters in Lusaka.
“This is one route that is most suitable for all types of goods to and from Europe, North and South America. Recently, some shipping lines have established direct services to Walvis Bay from the Far East.
“The new development enables the Zambian business community have an added trade route for acquiring or exporting goods to the Far East, “he said.
Mr Kaposa said trucking companies moving cargo between Zambia and Namibia were experiencing serious delays due to the poor state of the road. He explained that a stretch of about 190 km between Kazungula turnoff and Sesheke should ordinarily be covered in about two hours but was taking more than three hours of negotiated driving.
“These delays are having a negative effect on the performance of all business entities that depend on imports and exports for their revenue earnings in order to continue operation economically.
“Being one of Zambia’s alternative trade route for the importation and exportation of all types of goods, the corridor group is happy with the incremental usage of the corridor by the Zambian business community.
Mr Kaposa explained that almost 700,000 tonnes of various goods were traded via the Port of Walvis Bay per month and the trend was on the growth path.
He was concerned that with the commencement of the rainy season, the road would pose a serious risk to both the goods and human life.
Mr Mwiinga said the 2020 budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector was not enough to support irrigation farming, the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) and Livestock and fisheries.
He said the agricultural sector had continued to face a number of challenges in the past farming season due to natural causes such as droughts, above normal rainfall patterns and pests.
He was speaking in Lusaka yesterday.
"This has continued to subdue the sector productivity and its potential to stir economic growth and contribute to rural and urban poverty reduction," he said.
He said the 2019 crop forecasting survey recorded a reduction in the production of most agriculture commodities including maize which was projected to decrease by 16 percent from about 2.39 million tonnes last season 2018/2019 to about 2 million tonnes for 2019/2020 marketing season.
Mr Mwiinga said with regard to agriculture finance and investment support, the CTPD had observed a decline in budgetary allocations to the sector over the year.
"Taking the 2020 National Budget for example, you will note that the total budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector has dropped way below what is expected of a budget that Intends to deliver growth and reduce poverty," he said.
He said, in fact, the total allocation for the 2020 was below half of what was allocated to the sector in 2019.
"As much as CTPD agrees that we need to ‘ Achieve More with Less’, the money allocated to the sector is way too little to achieve any meaningful growth in the sector," he said.
Mr Mwiinga said the Government should ensure that farming inputs were distributed in good time to allow farmers to plant crops at the right time.
This, he said, should be supported by a well organised agricultural extension system to provide timely information and help farmers understand the expected changes in the weather patterns.
"We believe that if farmers are aware of the expected weather changes, they would be able to grow drought-resistant crops and plant for crop planting," he said.
Mr Mwiiga said the Government should avoid regulating the price of maize and instead leave it to market forces of demand and supply.
"This would encourage private sector participation in commodity marketing and input supply," he added.