ZAMBIA’S AGRICULTURE SECTOR UNDER UPND GOVT DESCRIBED AS A TOTAL FAILURE
By Chileshe Mwango
Lundazi Member of Parliament Brenda Nyirenda has described Zambia’s agriculture sector under the new dawn administration as a total failure.
In an interview with Phoenix News, Mrs. Nyirenda has cited government’s failure to deliver the entire allocation of urea fertilizer under the farmer input support programme-fisp- to farmers last season and the failure to buy soya beans from farmers.
Mrs. Nyirenda explains that in the last farming season, about 4,900 metric tons of urea fertilizer was not delivered while this season, only compound “d” has so far been distributed, a situation he says is causing anxiety among farmers.
She says due to failure to deliver adequate inputs on time last season, farmers diverted to growing soya beans as it does not require top dressing but has not been bought by government.
The Lundazi lawmaker is concerned that several farmers in Lundazi are still keeping soya beans in their homes and fear it will go to waste if not sold before the start of the rain season due to poor and lack of proper storage facilities.
PHOENIX NEWS