By RUTH YAMBAYAMBA
THE National Union for Small-Scale Farmers in Zambia (NUSFAZ) has called on Government to deliver farming inputs to all districts before October to enable farmers prepare for 2023/2024 farming season.
NUSFAZ executive director, Frank Kayula said, government should place the agricultural sector high on its development agenda by distributing farm inputs on time and also provide incentives to farmers.
Dr Kayula said, the early distribution of the farming inputs will give farmers more time to increase productivity following the difficulties faced during the previous farming seasons.
He noted that the early distribution of inputs will benefit both small-scale and the commercial farmers in an effort to enhance food production.
Dr Kayula said if there will be a repeat of late delivery, the country’s yield will be compromised.
“Speaking about the fertiliser and other input distribution, we would like it to take it not later than October this year. Off course we went through a fracas last year and which was not good for the small holder farmer and we don’t want that repeat.
Our request, our call on Government is that let the distribution exercise not exceed October, in October farmers need to have these inputs and they should be saying that how may I going to plant, how am I going to apply this fertiliser,” he said.
