NOEL IYOMBWA writes
@SunZambia
The private sector in Zambia should help address economic and social challenges faced by small scale farmers, says Small-Scale Farmers Development Agency (SAFADA) director Boyd Moobwe.
Mr Moobwe said small-scale farmers in Zambia were facing a number of challenges among them poor rain patterns, inputs distribution, marketing of agriculture farm produce and poor extension services.
He said inconsistent programme and bad land policy implementation which resulted in small scale farmers being displaced and evicted on the pretext of proposed land empowerment of Zambia citizens, was another challenge faced by small growers.
“Some farmers have resorted to selling their land to foreigner, Poor agriculture funding for economic activities has affected 80 percent of our small-scale farmers who have become so dependent on government subsidies and the electronic voucher system, which is not doing so well,
“ It’s not only about climate change, but policy direction, implementation, strategies, social attitude and economic structure of the Zambian economy” he said
There is a lot that is needed to be done to protect small scale farmer’s interest.
He aid SAFADA was geared to supplement government efforts in helping small-scale farmers in Zambia to mitigate the social and economic challenges they were facing.
