…we urgently need an Indaba of like-minded stakeholders in the sector.
By. Hon. Ponde C. Mecha.
Lusaka – Time for being spectators in the agriculture sector by relevant stakeholders is long gone. We are not going to allow the sector degenerate under our watch when we have the capacity to remedy the situation as a united front.
▪️ Time is ripe now for putting our heads together and help to refocus our current UPND government on their manifesto on agriculture, specifically on the following promises.
1. UPND projected increasing agriculture’s contribution to economic growth by increasing production for food security as well as agro-processing and manufacturing for both domestic and export markets by prioritising the agricultural productivity to meet household and national food security enroute to becoming the regional breadbasket. So far the picture seems blurred and we are not walking the talk.
2. The party promised to gradually create a pathway to reduce dependence on harmful chemicals in farming and move towards more soil-friendly organic farming and use of natural soil enhancement methods. so far no significant strides on this have been made and we seem to be focussing our efforts on creating more harm to the soils.
3. There was a promise aimed at ensuring access to affordable agricultural inputs such as fertilisers, chemicals and pesticides, and machinery. So far the cost of inputs keeps going up and the only pronouncement made in that regard is that some local companies are being facilitated to produce fertilizers locally. We are yet to understand whether these companies will compete favourably with imports once the current situation brought about by the Russia-Ukraine war normalizes.
For us in the agriculture sector, we are excited that at least the government has made an effort to initiate a partnership though not sure how this partnership with the private sector will help to ease access to, and ensure availability of low-cost finance to farmers. Of course, we are alive to the fact that it will help in establishing the agro-input manufacturing industries to specifically produce fertiliser probably at the expense of other inputs and implements. Suffice to mention that we are not clear how we are going to strike the balance between promoting chemicals including fertilizers that harm the soil and promoting more soil enhancing methods for improvement of soil productivity.
4. We were told that UPND was going to promote establishment of permanent agro-dealer networks across the country and the provision of targeted farm input packages through pass-on programmes, fertilizer, seed and appropriate farming. So far we can only be witnesses to disastrous performance in this area exacerbated by suspension of the e-voucher input distribution model which should have been the cornerstone for a sustainable agro-dealer network.
5. The party said that it would enhance agricultural diversification away from maize to mitigate natural shocks such as drought by growing drought-resistant crops and promote small and medium scale agro-based and non-agricultural industries. My observation is that the country is more on the route to promoting maize-cetric policies at the expense of diversification policies. We have seen how of late it has become important to balance our focus between drought resistant crops and flood resistant ones requiring more research.
Also Read: Agriculture contributes about 19 percent to GDP and employs three quarters of the population.
We need not fold our arms and continue watching sub-standard performance in the agriculture sector. Together we shall make a difference. I demand an urgent Indaba in the agriculture sector.
About The Author: Hon. Ponde Chunga Mecha is the immediate past MP for Chifunabuli Constituency. He has worked and executed various development programmes in the agriculture sector under various funding sources including GRZ, World Bank, NORAD, FINNIDA, FAO, Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation, USAID and the EU.
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