Sinazongwe District Commissioner Nchimunya Siakole has commended farmers in the district for the bumper harvest recorded in this year despite the effects of climate during the 2021-2022 farming season.
Mr Siakole says Sinazongwe has recorded a harvest of 13,000 tonnes of maize, 1001 tonnes of sorghum and 1600 tonnes of seed cotton despite flash floods and dry spells during the said farming season.
He was speaking during the District Agriculture and Commercial show themed, “Innovation through technology, technology transforms business” held at Nkandabbwe show grounds in Sinazongwe district.
Mr. Siakole said that Government attaches great importance to agriculture anchored on technology and innovations.
“I urge you farmers to use various technologies and innovations in fish farming, crop production, livestock development to enhance production that will make yourselves and the District at large self-sufficient in terms of food security” he said.
Government is leading the way in supporting small and medium enterprise in the District by increasing input support for 3287 smallholder farmers on average from three by 50 kilogram to six by 50 kilogram bags of fertilizer and one by ten Kilogramme of tolerant seed cotton.
Government has also provided 40,000 doses of foot and mouth vaccines, loans for fish production through Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) agriculture development fund and the now increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Speaking at the same occasion, Sinazongwe District Agriculture Coordinator (DACO) Charles Simulunda said the agriculture shows are platforms for information dissemination.
Mr Simulunda said agriculture shows are opportunities where farmers learn and access information on various agricultural issues including service providers such as agro dealers.
“ The shows can be used as platform for farmers to share knowledge, experience and ideas, adding that , there is need for farmers to take farming as a business through the use of technology and innovations .”
Meanwhile District Show Society Chairman Mweemba Mboozi thanked Government for supporting farmers through the ministry of Agriculture.
“We are grateful and thankful to Government for providing a conducive environment for us to carry out farming and conduct the show through which stakeholders are able to interact and show case their produce, create partnerships and linkages” he said.
Mr. Boozi said despite harsh weather conditions, Government provided a lot of support to farmers including inputs such as fertilizer and seed under the farmer input support programme and many other programs.