By JOHN KOMBE
GOVERNMENT is committed to support small-scale farmers who make a significant contribution to household and national food security.
Chongwe acting District Commissioner, Lawrence Chibwe made the observation during the biodiversity fair in the district.
The fair was held under the theme, “Agroecology for seed and food sovereignty in times of Covid-19 at Kasisi agriculture training centre.
Mr Chibwe said that government recognises the role that the small scale farmers play in enhancing seed and knowledge initiatives and that it was for this reason that the New Dawn government had committed itself to supporting this important sector.
He said that the agriculture sector must be seen as a major contributor to national development and that access to food was a human right and as such the government would support the systems that contribute to food security.
Father Chibwe hailed the farmers who had gathered to share knowledge and exchange their seed and expressed happiness that the framers had gathered to raise awareness and communicate the role that traditional seed plays in enhancing nutritious local foods.
He said that traditional seeds and farming practices were more important now when the globe was faced with climatic challenges.
And Kasisi agriculture training centre, senior agriculture officer Austin Chilala said that farmers must adopt environmentally friendly practices in order to assure sustainability.
Mr Chibwe noted that farmers must diversify into growing local drought resistant seed crops.
During a seedling production demonstration, he said that the use of plastics to grow seedlings must be discarded if the environment is to be protected.
He therefore urged farmers to use biodegradable materials such as Banana backs as seedling pockets. He said that this would also contribute to increased soil nutrition as opposed to using plastics that do not decompose.
Meanwhile, a farmer of Kapete A camp in Chongwe, Royd Michelo urged his fellow farmers to embrace organic farming. He said that farmers must not contribute to environmental pollution because this would negatively affect their livelihood. He said that farmers must utilise the locally available materials and seeds to help increase productivity.
