CSOS WANT CLOSER AGRO TIES WITH GOVT

A20-MEMBER consortium of Civil Society Organisations (CSO) has appealed to Government to enhance engagement with farmer groups and CSOs in addressing challenges faced by small holder farmers.

The call came during a multistakeholder engagement meeting on market campaign for smallholder farmers held in Lusaka recently and aimed at increasing awareness of availability of market segments for their produces.

Zambia

(ZAMSOF)

Social national

Forum coordinator Gershom Kabaso said access to markets is meant to empower those (smallholder farmers) as well as provide evidence-based solutions to create an enabling environment for selling their produce adequately.

Mr Kabaso said among key concerns raised at the meeting was the need for involvement of smallholder farmers in price determination of their harvest, post agriculture reviews, the need for agriculture and marketing policies regarding marketing access in the region that favours smallholder farmers particularly women and youth as well as policy formulation of markets that borders on smallholder farmers’ demands and expectations.

“Promotion of agroecology, food sovereignty and organic farming was also among the key issues discussed with an emphasis on advocating for the inclusion of a policy on agro ecology or organic agriculture which is nonexistent currently.

“Development of information communication technologies in the agriculture sector was also raised as this would bridge information dissemination gaps in the agriculture sector coupled with the need for adequate funding for extension services,” Mr Kabaso said.