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“I realized that there was a deficit of fish through my interactions with different players in the industry as an aquaculture consultant and it is from then that I decided to set up a facility that would contribute to lowering the fish deficit in the country,” he lamented. These are the words of Royd Mukonda an aquaculture expert and fish farmer owner of‘Mukasa Agro-solutions and Fish Farm’ who has been in the fish farming business for the last three years.

Story on page 12

FEATURESTransforming One Fish Pond to a Com-mercial Fish Farm

EXORBITANT FISH FEED PRICES CONCERNING

By Moono Mwiinga Sekeleti

Zambia is known to be the sixth largest producer of fish in Africa with its estimated annual de-mand of 185,000 Metric tonnes. But the country’s fish stocks have plummeted to approximately 85, 000 metric tonnes.The Indaba Agriculture Policy Research Institute (IAPRI) reveals that despite the country being the sixth largest producer of fish in Africa, its production is about 100,000 metric tonnes.IAPRI reports that with the population estimated to be growing at three percent annually, there is need for the country’s aquaculture industry to address the 85,000 metric tonnes fish deficit.Statistics from Worldfish Centre shows that although Zambia is a landlocked country with 20 percent of its surface area being covered by natural water resources which account for 45 percent of Southern Africa’s waters, Zambia’s potential in fish production both locally and internationally is immense.

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Cassava Marketa Sleeping Giant

By Sally Mulambya

Cassava is an essential part of millions of people’s diets and pro-vides a livelihood for many farmers, processors and traders. For many years it has been considered a peasant crop used mainly for home consumption and as a sub-product of mealie meal.

The Cassava Crop harbor’s a huge potential on both foreign and direct investment, and if heavily invested into can save the country from using scarce foreign exchange to import food and industrial raw materials.

To page 7

Farmers News, all Seasons. Californian Beverages Ltd.

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YARA new MiCrop Top to Benefit Smallholder MarketBy Sally Mulambya

Millions of smallholders in Zambia live in poverty and are unable to

meet basic needs or provide for their families however, in an effort to improve their income and standard of living YARA has launched a new topdressing fertilizer called ‘MICRO TOP’ for the small holder and com-mercial community. MiCrop Top, Yara’s new top-dressing fertilizer has been developed with the Zambian smallholder farmer in mind. The new product was introduced to farmers at different events. The product is coated with PromicroTM technology and has a urease inhibiting action as well as Zinc coated onto every granule that leads to an even distribution of the micro ele-ment which is also an essential element in human consumption. Zinc being one of the top 10 nutrient deficiencies in Humans in developing countries.This product is developed for Africa with smallholders having limited resources and money in mind. A next step towards a quality flagship at a very com-petitive price. According the company man-ager MiCrop Top topdressing fertilizer is Yara’s commitment

in supporting Zambian farmers to have a successful harvest, by providing quality products at an affordable price. The product supports the product profile of smallholder and commercial farmers. The launch of the new product was also graced by Luis Alfredo Perez from Business Unit Africa in Johannesburg who that the product has a bright future ahead of it and also informed the farmers where the product comes from and why it is such a high valued product.Field days were held in co-operation with Conservation Farming Unit (CFU) and The

Department of Agriculture, the company management said it has more big days planned to be held in order to support the customers and raise awareness of the launch of the new product in specific areas of the country. Mr Danie van der Merwe YARA’s country Manager, who is stationed in Lusaka also ad-dressed the farmers’ questions and explained about how the product will benefit the local famers and address their needs. He also introduced the team leader Lucy Musaku, who is responsible for supporting and servicing the farmers.

Farmers were taking part in a very interactive questioning and an-swering session and lots of prizes were given away.

Customers even had a chance to win 50kg of Yara’s new MiCrop Top.

Danie van der Merwe, Country Manager, Zambia with customer winning MiCrop Top Bag of MiCrop Top fertilizer

Farmer winning a bag of MiCrop

Farmers attending the launch

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Incorporate Climate Change Topics-Luo

By Josiah Mpofu

Minister of fisheries and livestock pro-fessor Nkandu Luo has urged

agriculture training institutions in the country to review and incor-porate climate change topics in their school curriculum in order to improve crop and livestock production.Professor Luo said the syllabus currently being taught does not fully address challenges faced by farmers in the fisheries and live-stock sector hereafter the need to change it. She explained that Foot and Mouth disease (FMD) and an-thrax among others are as a result of climate change hence the need to have competent manpower to help farmers manage their farm-ing systems.She has commended the Nether-lands government for rendering financial support towards the up-grading and rehabilitation of nine livestock and agriculture colleges and providing education and training equipment to promote competency based education.Professor Luo has called on girl children to focus their attention towards education as it is the greatest equalizer as opposed to prioritizing marriage.She was speaking during the 65th graduation ceremony of the Zambia institute of Animal Health (ZIAH) in Mazabuka district which was being com-memorated under the theme “Embracing Livestock develop-ment in climate change” with 85 students graduating as Veterinary and laboratory assistants.And ZIAH acting Principal Arnold Mulenga has expressed optimism that the graduating students will contribute meaning-fully to a healthy and sustain-able livestock production and productivity.“Embracing livestock develop-ment in climatic changes” This theme resonates well

with the government’s na-tional performance framework (NPF), a tool that will as-sist government implementing agencies to logically link development in a manner that leads to the realization of the vi-sion 2030, as outlined in the seventh national development plan and this theme is in line with government policy and assures you that the grandaunts we are seeing off today have been trained to stand up to today’s challenges in animal health and production,” said Dr. Mulenga.Dr. Mulenga has however asked government to quickly come through and help address some challenges faced by the training institution. He disclosed that staff housing units are not enough to carter for all the staffs at the institution and are dilapidated making it difficult for them to live in the houses.“In addition many are still being occupied by retirees or deceased officers’ relatives due to non-payment of other personal emoluments and the water re-ticulation system need complete overhaul. Student populace has also increased and there is great need to replace the 30 seater old bus with a larger capacity bus for field visits,” said Dr. Mulenga.Dr. Mulenga has urged youths in the country to always put their energy, faith, talent and time into issues that will help develop their careers and benefit the society at large as opposed to indulge in illicit activities such as alcohol and smoking.Meanwhile ,Provincial Veterinary Officer (PVO) Muzumbwe Kane-manema says Southern province has so far recorded a reduction in FMD cases with Mazabuka recording a zero incidence in the past four months.Dr.Kanemanema attributed the reduction of FMD to measures put in by government to stop the further spread of the disease and completely eradicate it.

INVEST VASTLY IN CASHEW PRODUCTIONBy Mainza Chinyamba

Zambia is known to be a predominately mining country. But, the government has realized its abundant

land and natural resources. With this in mind, the government has prioritized the agriculture sector and this is supported through some of its Agriculture develop-ment plans.Against this backdrop, Zambia is striving to diversify its major economic activity from min-ing to agriculture. According to the Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute (IAPRI) 2019 report, about 40 percent of Zambia’s population resides in the rural areas, and agriculture is their main source of livelihood.The agriculture sector employs over 75 percent of the labor force directly and indirectly. There are 1.6 million smallhold-

er households who make up more than 80 percent of the country’s total farmers.Crop production is among small-holder farmers, almost their all their crop production is entirely rain-fed, making it vulnerable to weather shocks.“Maize and soya beans have experienced the largest value chain growth among smallholder farmers in recent years such that between 2011/12 and 2014/15, maize sales to large grain traders increased from 3 percent to 12 percent. Large grain traders also accounted 40percent of the mar-keted surplus during the 2016/17 marketing season” (IAPRI, 2019).But this concentration on maize, soya beans among other cash crops is a clear indication that the agriculture sector has not been explored to its full poten-

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RAINS TO BOOST CROP PRODUCTION-COPPERBELT PSBy Lorraine Chishimba

Copperbelt permanent secretary Bright Nundwe has called on the Zambia Correctional

Service to take advantage of the weather conditions in the region to increase food security in the country.Agriculture is dependent on good climatic conditions, like the rest of the world Zambia is among the many countries affected by the effects of climate change.Copperbelt province perma-nent secretary Bright Nundwe recently toured Chondwe cor-rectional farms and called on the Zambian correctional facilities to take advantage of the favorable weather conditions in the region to increase their production.Mr.Nundwe said Copperbelt province just like Muchinga, Luapula, Northern and Eastern provinces received good rains and had the capacity to feed the nation because the country was

depending on the six provinces in terms of farming. The permanent secretary also addedthat the province was com-pounded with issues of fall army worms and called on the facility to look out for pests and report any outbreaks to the ministry of agriculture authorities.Mr. Nundwe said he was im-pressed with the crop stand at Chondwe facility farm and called on the authorities to take care of the crop to ensure good yield.“Please do serious weeding, spray the chemicals, apply fer-tilizer to make sure we have the best harvest,” he said.The secretary who also took time to check the communications tower project being constructed at Chondwe farm by China con-struction project said government was promoting smart agriculture adding that the development of the country depended on good communication.“Our farmers also need to moni-tor market prices of their produce and they can only do that if there

is good communication, I urge you to finish the project on time,” he said.And in brief to the permanent secretary Chondwe facility farm officer in Maximilian Nkaka said the facility had cultivated 50 hectares of maize and was ex-pected to harvest 4,000 by 50kg bags of maize in the 2019/2020 farming season.Mr. Nkaka said the station was also involved in winter maize, wheat and soya beans production at a commercial level including the production of various horti-cultural crops. He said he was grateful to the government for providing 50, 30 and 20 hectare capacity three center pivots two of which were operational while one needed a bit of attention such as connec-tion of electricity supply to the 33kv overhead pole line and excavation of a dam.The officer also commended the government for the construction of the communication tower in an effort to address communica-

tion challenges at the facility.And speaking at the same event Zambia Correctional Service Regional Commander Davies Makayi said that the service had managed to increase the area under cultivation from 130 hec-tares in the last farming season to 261 hectares following the directive by the president that the correctional service should grow enough to feed the prisoners. Mr. Makayi said new stations that where not engaged in farming such as Ndola Remand Kasenji, Chingola and Mufulira had been brought on board and had cultivated 211 hectares in addition to the 50hectares culti-vated by Chondwe correctional farm bringing the total hectorage to 261.He said the new stations were doing their farming activities at Chondwe Correctional farm due to lack of land and appealed to government to help secure land for them so that they could increase their production.

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INVEST VASTLY IN CASHEW PRODUCTION

tial. This begs the question as to whether Zambia needs to invest in Cashew production in suitable areas.One of the provinces which is suitable for Cashew production is Western province.This is because the province is endowed with sandy soils which favor Cashew nut production. Notably these sandy soils do not support maize cultivation, one of the reasons why the provinces produce low maize quantities.“Cashew nut production started in the early 80’s and Western province was identified as one of the major areas where cashew nuts would be cultivated because of the type of soils, not to say it can only grow in Western prov-ince, I think the notion is cashew grows better in sandy areas but cashew can grow anywhere,” says Zambia National Farmers Union Media and Public Rela-tions ManagerKelvin Kaleyi.

Mr. Kaleyi also encouraged smallholder farmers especially in Western Province to take ad-vantage of the readily available markets both local and interna-tionally to venture into cashew production.He has also commended small-scale farmers for the interest they have shown in cashew produc-tion over the years. Kizito Mwamba is a small-scale farmer in Lusaka who has ventured in cashew production says cashew takes a mini-mum of three years to mature and start producing nuts. Ms. Mwamba in her cashew produc-tion also noted that cashew is different from other crops as it is easy to manage. “Cashew is a fruit tree like any other fruit trees, the only skill needed in cashew production is good management” says Ms. Mwamba.She also urged other farmers to venture into cashew production

especially now that the country battling climate change because cashew it can grow and even in weather conditions that are no suitable for cultivation of crops such as maize among other com-mon cash crops. Cashew production has not been sidelined on government’s agri-culture agenda. In 2015, govern-ment sourced funds amounting to US$45 million from African Development Bank (ADB) in form of a loan, government also contributed US$8.31 million rep-resenting 15.0 percent funding of the project and beneficiaries contributed US$2.11 which is 3.8 percent. The total amount totaled to US$55.42 million-Cashew In-frastructure Development Project (2015). This huge investment was made to fund the Cashew Infrastructure Development Project (CIDP) which is aimed at reviving the cashew subsector and currently one of government of Zambia

priority projects. This project will benefit 60,000 smallholder farmers including 30,000(50percent) women and 7,000 youths, each planting 1 ha (1000 cashew tress). It will also create about 6000 full-time jobs (3000 women, and 1000 youths) along cashew value chain from production, processing to mar-keting- Cashew Infrastructure Development Project (2015).Zambia is currently a producer of 150,000 metric tons of cashew each year and our local consump-tion is 50,000 metric tons of which the excess 80,000 each goes into export. This demand however shows readily available market for cashew and if taken advantage of Zambia can generate a lot of income from the agriculture sector and the dream of making Zambia an agriculture driven can evidently be realized.

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Move fish- traders orderedBy Lawrence Kabutu

Authorities in the Ministry of Fisher-ies and Livestock in Southern Prov-ince have given

fishers and marketers on Lake Ka-riba two days to move their fresh fish from fishing camps to various places within the country.The directive has been issued by Acting Principal Fisheries Officer Martin Mwale to District Fisheries Officers in Siavonga, Gwembe, and Sinazongwe where Lake Kariba is situated.Mr. Mwale stated that all fish which is in the cold room fa-cilities should be declared to the department of Fisheries Offices so that the wight is recorded.The move had been taken follow-ing the issuance of the Gazette Notice number 1238 of 2019 whose content is to close Lake Kariba from all fishing activities from 1st to 31st January 2020 by the minister of Fisheries and Livestock Professor Nkandu Luo.Mr. Mwale said the fishers and marketers on Lake Kariba have been given six days to move their dry fish from the fishing camps to various places within the country.He said all fish should be issued with a duly completed certificate of origin, each time a fishers or marketer intends to take it to other places within the country from Lake Kariba.Mr. Mwale noted that the instructions should be adhered to the later as contrary to doing so would be in violation of the fisheries Act number 22 of 2011 of the Laws of Zambia.Meanwhile Mwense District Commissioner Geoffrey Chipam-pata has implored the department of fisheries in Mwense to inten-sify patrols to curb illegal fishing during the fish ban period hence the need to intensify patrols.The Commissioner said that there are reports that people are fishing illegally from the Luapula river, he noted that government had released some funds for officers to be mobile and prevent fishing during the fish ban period.He stated that if the tendency to continues fish will deplete and

nothing will be left for the people to consume and cautioned illegal fishers to refrain from the act be-cause if caught wanting they will be dealt with accordingly.

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Small-scale farmers and di-versificationBy Ruth Mbewe

The Zambian agricul-ture sector comprises of crops, livestock and fisheries. The sector contributes

about 19% of the Gross Domes-tic Products (GDP) and hires three quarters of the population directly and indirectly. The agri-culture sector contributes largely to the growth and sustenance of the country’s economy. Local production is comprises of crops such as maize, sorghum, millet and cassava while exports are driven by soybeans, coffee, rice, sugar, cotton as well as horticul-ture produce.It is important to note that 80% of the food that we consume as a country is produced by the small-scale farmers. The importance and empowerment of the small-scale farmers cannot be overemphasized. These farmers are our major key players in the agriculture sector whose efforts in production help us sustain our economy.“As a country we should not depend on one stable crop, let us diversify,we are encouraging farmers to invest in mechaniza-tion, irrigation equipment, aqua-culture, piggery and all kinds of livestock so that if one does not bring in money the other sustains you. If we develop an integrated system Zambia is going to go places. If you are going to wait for the rains then you are going to perpetually be a small-scale farmer. In order to see growth among small-scale farmers encourage them to diversify and practice an integrated system of

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Food IndabaLawrence Kabutu

Government in collaboration with the World Wide Fund (WWF) has convened the first ever provincial indaba on climate change to ad-dress the effects of the phenomenon on food production in Southern Province.Officially opening a two-day indaba in Livingstone, Southern Prov-ince Minister Edify Hamukale said climate change has emerged as one of the most pressing issues in Zambia affecting social economic development.Dr. Hamukale said droughts and high temperatures have increased in frequency and intensity in the recent past and have adversely impact-ed on food and water security, water quality, energy and sustainable livelihoods of rural communities.He noted that available data on climate indicates that the Southern Province climate and weather conditions have become highly vari-able with frequent droughts, seasonal and flash floods.Dr. Hamukale said the previous farming season witnessed serious adverse effects of climate change which the province has never had in the last decade.He pointed out that this was in wake of prolonged dry spells experi-enced in most parts of the province, adding that the maize harvested alone dropped to 65,367 metric tonnes from 361,155 metric tonnes in 2017/2018 season. accounting for 82 per cent decline.Dr. Hamukale expressed gratitude to experts in various areas of cli-mate change, Chief Chikankata, Chieftainess Mweenda and a repre-sentative of Chief Mapanza for convening in Livingstone in searchof solutions to deal with the negative effects of climate change.

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FMD IS A REGIONAL PROBLEM NEEDING A REGIONAL SOLUTIONBy Beene Mujala

It’s a bright sunny Friday morning and a cool dry breeze hovers over the wetlands of the Chipepo Chiefdom located South-

west of Kabwe district in Central Zambia.About five hard body Nissan patrol’s carrying over 30 veterinary experts clad in their dusted gear ready to do what they know best, pack along the banks of what seems to be a dam but having foot and animal tracks all over it. As I emerged out of the vehicle, the surroundings caught my attention. The plains look clear except for shrubs and small trees dotted on the dam walls on the western side. From the far north-east in the long winding dambo, clusters of herds, according to their own-ership, move towards the remain-ing small pools of muddy water near the dam wall to quench their thirsty. Cracked ground can be seen around the small ditches of muddy water dotted around what obviously looked like a huge holding of water in its season, but now lying dry. It was still almost four months to the next rainy season and the climate change effects are quite unmistakable. This drying dam apparently saves as the only water point servicing over three thousand herds (as explained by

one of the locals)in the area and having a laboratory technician ascertain the safety of the water for livestock becomes a mere hypothesis at this point.As my mind was shuffling around climate change and its effects in front of me while the scientists dashed into groups to propound their moves to examine their subjects, a bell cow suddenly caught my attention. It arose from the muddy waters in mourn-ing paraphernalia, mooing with all its mighty as if it were nearing the end of its life, going round and in between the other herds and finally dashing out into the nearby bush again.My immediate thought was to rush and capture her sound as these become handy later in my programming. As I gave a little chase, the cow, evidently apathetic of my moves, just ran off into the woods and in a few seconds came back again to the fellow herds as if bringing back a message. She scuttled off to have a sip of the muddy water but upon lowering her mouth, she dashed back, mooing more loudly as if the water begrudged another melancholy.At this moment, supporting bel-lowing and bleating could also be heard amongst the herd. I was immediately reminded of my growing up comprehension that a bell cow is a leader for fellow flocks when they go grazing far

from home in the mountains, woods and dambos for pastures or water and I reckoned that certainly there was a message in all these maneuvers. I now resigned to following this up, temporarily abandon-ing my mission of witnessing the investigations from the learned scientists of casting down animals and subsequently, examining them. Alas, it was the demise of a two weeks old calf the previous night and now the heartbreaking bellowing, bleating and mooing, resounding longing and pain, was for the young one, obviously signaling the sad end of a poignant mothering season for the affected cow. Whoever said animals do not mourn one another.I was at this point penitent to the owner of the calf, Mr. Adre Mun-saka, who stood helplessly as he looked at the poor cow. I could immediately deduce his personal attachment and of course his proprietary relationship with the animals, his livelihood, quite evi-dently. As I looked at the farmer, the message in his eyes was that of wanting to lift this burden off his cow, if only. Mr. Munsaka is a retiree and like many farmers around the Chipepo chiefdom, depends on livestock farming for survival and has been at it since 2012. He narrated how he noticed weak-ness, lack of eating, limping, and

stress on his animals.“I immediately called our Veterinary Assistant who later confirmed that it was the Foot and Mouth Disease(FMD),” Mr. Munsaka recounted.He has so far lost a calf and almost his entire herd of 45 cattle was infected, while his neigh-bours have lost some herds too. Their solution was to rub salty water on the lesions until they age and eventually phase off.Having satisfied my curiosity on the ranting of the mothering cow, I retreated back to the group of veterinarians visiting this area as part of the trainees on FMD investigation workshop that was held in collaboration with the Food and Agricultural Organisa-tion (FAO) of the United Nations in Kabwe recently. Team Leader and workshop Co-ordinator Frank Banda explained that like many other parts of the country, Kabwe district has been affected by the disease that was first discovered around April 2018.Dr. Banda explained that the global impact of FMD is estimated at $5 billion, subsequently,countries with the disease are banned from export-ing meat and its related products. Heelucidated that FMD is a highly infectious viral disease that affects cattle, pigs and goats but does not affect human beings. Dr. Banda, who is also Chief

Epidiemologist at Central Veteri-nary Research Institute (CVRI) explained that quite a number of herds were affected in many parts of the country, adding that-there was little knowledge of the disease amongst the farmers.The Epidemiologist explained that the objective of the work-shop was therefore to enlighten the officers and farmers more on investigation and understanding the dynamics of the FMD.He explained that in most places where the disease appeared for the first time, there were no proper investigations done by of-ficers due to limited knowledge on how it is spread resulting in having no proper biosecurity measures or the type of disin-fectants to recommend for use by farmers.“We have brought the officers in order to train them on the dynamics of the disease so that they can know how to identify it and advice farmers accordingly,” Mr. Banda said.He explained that Zambia has so far recorded various serotypes of FMD including ‘0’, A, SAT 1, SAT 2 and SAT 3 strains in dif-ferent parts of the country. “And the more the serotypes, the more expensive the vaccines are,” Dr. Banda said.And Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Deputy Director in

Farmer field schools promoting climate smart agriculture

By Gloria Siwisha

Agricultural extension, accord-ing to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), is the process of introducing farmers to knowledge, information, and technologies that can improve their production, income and well-being. It facilitates interaction by producers of crops, livestock or fish with other stakeholders such as researchers, training institu-tions, agri-businesses, and other relevant organisations.It is more the reason that the Government, through its Second National Agricultural Policy, seeks to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the existing extension staff by way of training and retraining them, purchasing motorcycles, as well as con-structing and rehabilitating of camp houses and offices.According to the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the significance of agricultural extension cannot be overemphasized as it plays a crucial role in stimulating agri-cultural productivity, increasing food security, improving rural

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Plant all the seeds that you are getting-MangimelaBy Helen Witti

North Western Province Perma-nent Secretary Willis Mangimela has called on farmers in the province to put farming inputs obtained through the Farmer Input Support Programme(FISP) to good use.Mr. Mangimela said farmers should ensure that they plant all the seeds that they are getting from the FISP and put the ferti-lizer to good use in an effort to obtain good yields. He advised farmers not to worry about market as there is so much demand for farm produce lo-cally and from the neighboring countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC.Mr. Mangimela disclosed that North Western Province has received hundred percent of its share of farming inputs under FISP for this 2019/2020 farming season.He also called on traditional leaders to encourage their subjects to commence farming activities on time in an effort to

avoid late planting that ulti-mately reduces crop yields and encouraged Nyimba Investment Ltd, the company responsible for

the distribution of fertilizer to speed up the distribution process. And Nyimba Investment Lt-dRegional Coordinator Gideon

Tembo has assured government that fertilizer will be distributed on time.Mr. Tembo disclosed that his

company will be distributing a total of 2000 metric tons per week to feed other districts in an effort to expedite the distribution process.

Cassava Market a Sleeping Giant

By Sally MulambyaCassava is an essential part of millions of people’s diets and provides a livelihood for many farmers, processors and trad-ers. For many years it has been considered a peasant crop used mainly for home consumption and as a sub-product of meali-emeal.

The Cassava Crop harbor’s a huge potential on both foreign and direct investment, and if heavily invested into can save the country from using scarce foreign exchange to import food and industrial raw materials.It is for this reason that compa-nies are promoting adoption of the crop,Mutakamwa Produc-tions LTD is among the compa-

nies that has taken up the role to save as cassava Aggregators.Speaking during a phone inter-view Mutakamwa Aggregators Director General Vincent Aka-mandisa said the company is the intermediary between the cassava farmers and the cassava process-ing companies such as Zonghai.MrAkamadinsa said the company is commercializing the cassava value chain by creating a market for the farmers, adding that cassava is a crop that deserves to be invested in because of the potential it has in contributing to the growth of the Agriculture sector.`The company based in western province provides advisory and extension services and works on

a contract basis with 15 suppliers it buys cassava from.He however, cited that due to the rains the supply of dry cassava has reduced because it is almost impossible to dry the chips.“As you know cassava harvest-ing and processing starts around May through to June and ends about September to November so the number of farmers processing and drying cassava has reduced due to the rains, so to cut on that we are looking to invest in driers so that even during such periods we can continue to have cassava being processed,” he explained. To address the situation, the com-pany is currently buying chippers that break cassava in smaller pieces to enable them dry faster to reach moisture content of 12 percent in 48 hours.According to Mr. Akaman-disa the cassava sector can be strengthened by sustained links To page 16

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the Department of Veterinary Dr. Francis Mulenga explained that currently the country needs 2.4 million vaccines to fight the dis-ease that has so far spread to 24 other districts in seven provinces across the country.“However Lufwanyama, Kitwe and Chingola on the Copperbelt and Lundazi, Chipata, Vubwi in the Eastern province as well as Lusaka have no more cases of FMD as at now,” Dr. Mulenga said.Dr. Mulenga elucidated that the disease was first reported at Kalundu Dairy in Chisambadis-trict in March 2018, and it later spread to the Zambezi Ranching and Cropping Limited(ZRC) and 14 other farms within the district. Hesaid that later in February 2019 the diseasewas reportedin Monze District resulting from 18 cattle that we are illegally-moved from Chisamba and later spread to Mazabuka, Pemba, Gwembe, Namwala, Choma and Chikankata.

Dr. Mulenga further pointed outthat the first case of FMD Serotype‘0’was reported in Oc-tober of 2017 in Mbala District of Northern Province and it was suspected to have originated from the neighbouring United Republic of Tanzania.“So far, Chisamba, Chibombo, Lusaka, Kitwe, Kapiri Mposhi, Kabwe, Chingola, Chilanga, Mazabuka, Pemba, Monze, Gwembe, Choma, Lufwanyama, Chikankata and Masaiti districts were attacked by serotype ‘0’. SAT 2 is found in Vubwi, Lun-dazi and Chipata whereas SAT A is in Mbala,” Dr. Mulenga said.And speaking during the of-ficial opening of the workshop at 3 Seasons Lodge in Kabwe, FAO Country Representative Dr. George Okechi emphasized the importance of fighting the disease at a regional level.Dr. Okechi called on all stake-holders in Southern Africa to come together and tackle the Disease as a region, if SADC was to win the fight against it.Dr. Okechi said it was impera-tive that the region came up with immediate measures to avoid the disease spreading to countries like Botswana, South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.The FAO representative revealed that, the UN agency on agri-culture is scheduled to hold a regional workshop in Johannes-burg, South Africa for Permanent Secretaries in the SADC in charge of agriculture and Live-stock where FMD will be top on agenda. And speaking during the work-shop, Central Province Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Coor-dinator Alisheke Mutemwa said the problem of FMD was being compounded by climate change, a situation that was forcing farm-ers to move animals in search of water and grazing land.Dr.Mutemwa explained that most places in the province were running out of water and grazing

FMD is a regional problem needing a region-al solutionFrom page 6

Food and Agriculture Organisa-tion of the United Nations (FAO) Country Representative George Okechi highlights the need to put in place measures aimed at re-ducing the domestic fish deficit.

Mr Okechi observes that such mechanisms should not only address the existing fish deficit but also contribute to poverty alleviation in Zambia.And Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Permanent Secretary

Benson Mwenya says “fish feed is a huge cost in any aquaculture establishment as it accounts for about 60% of the total opera-tional costs.” Dr Mwenya said there is need for stakeholders to find strategies to

reduce the cost of feed and ac-cessibility to most farmers dotted across the country in order to reduce the fish deficit.However, Zambia Aquaculture Enterprise Development Project (ZAEDP) Management and Eval-uation Specialist, Lissen Moono explains that most small-scale farmers are not participating in aquaculture due to the high fish feed prices causing the deficit. “Access to feed for small-scale farmers is a challenge because the production of feed is centred around Lusaka and Copperbelt, farmers who are far from such areas are not able to access it,” added Mr. Moono.Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) Media and Public Rela-tions Manager Calvin Kaleyi says although fish feed contains micro-nutrients which accounts for 30 percent of the feed ingre-dients, the cost of these micro-nutrients is negligible.Mr Kaleyi expresses concern that despite the country being endowed with a lot of space for fish farming and abundant natu-ral water resources, which should facilitate aquaculture develop-ment, the fish deficit position of the country is not good.He also noted that feed, which is the major ingredient in the production of fish, has been hard to access due to its producers pegging its price at export parity.Mr. Kaleyi explained that there should be a difference with how a producer sells the feed to the lo-cal market and the export market as it shows a sense of belonging and ensures that the local indus-try is producing enough. “The processing is being done within the country, why should a local producer sell that much to a local company? There should be a difference,” he said.Mr. Kaleyi retaliated that ZNFU is taking deliberate steps and strategic policies such as lob-bying to ensure that the price of local fish-feed is not as expen-sive as it is currently being sold to ensure that fish production

increases.He further said the union has lob-bied for things like dam liners for farmers who were complaining about the high prices. “After ZNFU lobbied for these dam liners, government fa-cilitated their importation duty free,”says Mr Kaleyi.This shows the critical role of ZNFU in contributing towards fostering the growth of the aqua-culture in the country. “As ZNFU we will continue lob-bying so that all these exporters that are exporting bran should first consider the local market before they take out,” he added.As part of diversification, Mr. Kaleyi said the union wants to see small-scale farmers engage in many farming activities and take farming as a profitable venture. He said the union is encouraging farmers especially those involved in small-scale farming to invest in mechanisation, irrigation sys-tems, aquaculture, and all forms of livestock production to avoid reliance on one type of farming.“If you always wait for the rain to come you will perpetually remain a small-sale farmer, so we are encouraging diversification and aquaculture is the new thing we are encouraging farmers to do,” added Mr. Kaleyi.With the present trends in the fish industry, increased lobbying should be intensified to reduce the cost of importing micro-nutrients in the country. This calls for the participation of all key players and stakeholders in coming up with feasible locally produced fish feed in order to sustain the whole process of fish production. Suffice to state that making fish feed available will not only allow more farmers to engage in fish farming but will also promote the growth of aquaculture develop-ment. In turn, this will contribute to food security and increased income.

From front page

Exorbitant fish feed prices concerning

Zambia to Commemorate International Year of Plant Health (IYPH) 2020

By Prisca Kabwe Nyirenda

The Zambia Agri-culture Research Institute (ZARI) through the Plant Quarantine and

Phytosanitary Service (PQPS) proclaims that Zambia is one of the countries which vehemently supports creat-ing awareness and protecting plants among the public and policy makers. It is against this backdrop that Zambia will join the rest of the world to commemorate Inter-national Year of Plant Health (IYPH) in 2020. The participa-tion of various stakeholders in the commemoration is expected to achieve beneficial results for the country.In December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly de-clared 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health. The Objec-tive is to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce pov-erty, protect the environment and boost economic development.The year is expected to increase awareness among the public and policy makers of the importance of protecting plants.Plant Health is usually consid-ered as the discipline that uses a range of measures to control and prevent pests, weeds and disease causing organisms from spread-ing into new areas especially

through human interaction such as in international trade. The Plant Quarantine and Phyto sanitary Service (PQPS) is the National Plant Protection Organi-zation (NPPO) of Zambia with a mandate to prevent introduction and spread of plant pests. PQPS draws it mandate from the Plant Pests and Diseases Act, Cap 233 and the Noxious Weeds Act, Cap 231 of the laws of Zambia. PQPS is taking a leading role in organizing plant health activities during the International Year of plant Health. Plant Quarantine and Phytosani-tary Service National Coordina-tor Dr. Kenneth Msiska says Zambia will join the rest of the world in the commemoration by promoting and implementing activities that aim at protecting plants. Dr. Msiska said this during a stakeholder’s awareness meet-ing held in Lusaka to create awareness about the upcoming International year of plant health. He called upon all stakeholders to uphold plant health regulations to protect Zambia’s agricultural production and the environment to achieve food security and market access.“Plants are the source of 98% of the air we breathe and provide 80% of the food we eat yet we often don’t think about keeping them healthy and this can have devastating results”, he said.FAO estimates that up to 40% of-

global food crops are lost due to plant pests in cluding trade losses exceeding 220 billion US dollars in agriculture products annually. This leaves millions of people without enough food to eat and seriously damages agriculture - the primary source of income for mostly rural poor communities.DrMsiska notes that Plant health is key to foodsecurity and economic development of the country. He observes that Plant pests and diseases damage crops thereby reducing the availability of food and increases its cost.

He further adds that neglecting plant health has implications on international trade as the pres-ence of certain plant pests and diseases may hinder market ac-cess including suffering bans on export of agricultural products.

Dr. Msiska acknowledged that plants are increasingly under threat due to climate change, and human activities such as international travel and trade which has tripled in volume in the last decade and can quickly spread pestsand diseases around the world causing great damage to native plants and the environ-ment.

He has however noted that PQPS as a National Plant Protection Organization, has continued to remain alert in safeguarding

To page 18

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areas, thereby increasing the risk of the disease.In order to step up the fight against the disease, the ministry has instituted various measures such as strengthened surveil-lance and disease identification, movement controls as well as sensitisation of farmers and other key stakeholders. And the Deputy Director Dr. Mulenga explained further on measures to consider in curb-ing the disease. “Other meas-ures include the stepping up of biosafety measures in and out of affected areas including on farm and biosecurity check points and mass vaccinations in high risk population,” Dr. Mulenga explained.For farmers, nothing worries more than having a sick animal on the farm, with a busted leg or blistered gums. Having a sick animal that cannot be fixed or useful for trade or consumption is a nightmare most farmers would rather not go through.The cattle foot print in Zambia is evident of how the benefits derived from livestock farm-ing forms an intrinsic part of the lives of the farmers, carried in their daily responsibilities right through to the market day, ending as burgers and T-bone in restaurants and homes, underscoring the pride of cattle owners. Although it might take some time for this glory to come back to farmers in the FMD af-fected areas, it is something tobe yearned for.The veterinary officers are not a sleeping duck either as they are working round the clock to re-store the lost glory to the farmers in the affected areas.

FMD is a regional prob-lem needing a regional solu-tionFrom page 7

livelihoods and promoting agri-culture as an engine of pro-poor growth.In Zambia, agricultural extension services have over the years been delivered through a number of approaches. For instance, before independence, there existed a command or military kind of extension methodology where specific progressive individual farmers would be targeted and told the kind of crops to grow. Following independence in 1964 however, Government policies to increase agricultural produc-tion and ensure food security led to an increase in the number of rural households embracing agriculture. This compelled the Government to improve on the colonial indi-vidualized farm visits by creating Farmer Training Centres (FTCs), Farm Institutes (FIs) and Live-stock Service Centres (LSCs).FTCs were created for purposes of commodity demonstrations and to facilitate farmer training in improved farm management practices. LSCs on the other hand, were one stop shops for livestock services while farm institutes catered for in-service training of extension staff and provision of higher level training to improved smallholder farmers.By the early 1980s, Zambia was to become one of the first Sub Saharan African countries to import the Training and Visit (T

& V) extension methodology. According to the 2016 - 2020 National Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services Strategy, this approach was character-ised by among other things, the systematic fortnightly trainings of field extension staff by subject matter specialists, extensive use of contact farmers, concentration of extension messages on the staple maize crop and a unified command for livestock, crops and fisheries extension services. Whilst the T & V approach was being implemented, another methodology, ‘the Farming Systems Research (FSR)’ was introduced as a more holistic diagnostic process for research-ers to elicit better understand-ing of farm households, family decisions and decision making processes, but could not take firm root into the main extension system.Most of these conventional extension approaches were however, criticised by experts in countries where they were being applied as being models that created a rigid hierarchy which discouraged feedback from the users of the technology. More precisely, critics argued that the models were largely a one-way communication in which messages were channelled from top to bottom through the hierarchical structure, most often from Government sources to the farmers.As a result, there grew a need

for improved extension meth-odologies that responded better to farmers’ demands and shifted towards more participatory and group focused approaches.Thus, in the year 2000, Govern-ment proclaimed the ‘Participa-tory Extension Approach (PEA)’ as the main vehicle for the deliv-ery of extension services.PEA is still applied by the Government’s extension services system and is simply a system-atic learning method focusing on cumulative joint learning using both indigenous and modern knowledge systems. A perfect example of this exten-sion methodology is the Farmer Field School (FFS) approach. Developed by FAO in the late 1980s in South East Asia, FFS is a participatory method of technology development and dissemination whereby farmers are given the chance to make a choice in the methods of produc-tion through discovery based approach, based on adult learning principles and experiential learn-ing.The 2010 Journal of Agricultural Extension argues that the farmer field school is in fact a school without walls that teaches basic agro-ecology and management skills that make farmers experts in their own farms.Presently, the Ministry of Ag-riculture has partnered with the World Bank funded ‘Zambia Inte-grated Forest Landscape Project (ZIFLP)’ to scale up Climate

Smart Agriculture (CSA) prac-tices in Eastern Province using the farmer field school approach.ZIFLP runs from 2017 to 2022 in all 14 districts of Eastern Province and seeks to provide support to rural communities in the region to allow them better manage the resources of their landscapes so as to reduce deforestation and unsustainable agricultural expansion; enhance benefits they receive from for-estry, agriculture, and wildlife; and reduce their vulnerability to climate change. The Provincial Project Coordi-nator David Ngwenyama says 478 farmer field schools have so far been established in 239 agricultural camps of Eastern Province where 10, 755 lead farmers are getting hands-on practical experience in climate smart agricultural approaches for a period of five years. Mr. Ngwenyama says the 10,755 lead farmers have each recruited and are training 10 follower farmers in CSA approaches so that at the end of the project cycle, a total of 118,305 farmers would have been trained. “Each camp has two farmer field schools where 45 lead farmers in total (23 on one school and 22 on the other), are getting hands-on practical experience in climate smart agriculture. Our goal is to increase the number of CSA adopters in the prov-ince; increase production and productivity, and improve farm-ers’ resilience towards climate related effects,” he said.It is anticipated that the success-ful implementation of the project would lead to increased area under climate smart agricultural practices, increased agricultural productivity, increased diver-sification of agricultural and livelihood enterprises, and in-creased carbon mitigation from agriculture and forestry. According to Joseph Cheelo, the Senior Agricultural Special-ist – Land Husbandry, the FFS approach really requires a group of 20 – 25 farmers to meet periodically on a given farm where they make field observa-tions; relate their observations to the ecosystem, and apply their previous experience and any new information to make a crop management decision with the guidance of a facilitator. “In Eastern Province for in-stance, a group of 22 or 23 farm-ers meets once a week at their field school and under the guid-ance of a trained camp extension officer in order to experiment with, and observe three 20 by 20 metres demonstration plots of maize, soya beans and sunflower over the course of an entire crop-ping season,” he said.Mr. Cheelo says all three crop fields that lead farmers prac-tice on, employ climate smart agricultural practices with regard to land preparation; planting, fertilizer or manure application, pest control, and general man-agement of the field.“FFS is really a group-based adult learning approach that teaches farmers how to experi-ment and solve problems inde-pendently. So, on a typical day,

lead farmers meet at their respec-tive schools with a facilitator, to observe, experiment, discuss, ask questions, and generally learn CSA approaches together,” he said.Mr Cheelo also said FFSs were supported annually with farming inputs such as seed and fertilizer; weed and pest control chemicals as well as farming equipment like ripper attachments.“At the end of a cropping season, lead farmers hold field days at their demo fields to show local people, researchers, learning institutions, and other farmers the results of their season-long experiments,” he said.Mr Cheelo says climate smart agricultural practices are being promoted in Eastern Province, as the use of conventional land preparation and cropping systems over the years, has contributed to the current high levels of degra-dation in soils to the extent that this fails to sustain rural farmers’ production beyond the subsist-ence level.Some of the CSA approaches being promoted through FFSs include conservation agriculture practices; integrated soil fertility management (ISFM), crop rota-tion and diversification, and agro forestry. “The project will also support community grants for livelihood interventions, including climate smart agriculture and small ruminants or poultry, as well as market access through agro processing,” Mr Cheelo says.He said in the two years that CSA practices had been applied, maize yields had increased to 5.3 tonnes per hectare from the 1.3 tonnes per hectare that small-holder farmers would usually get while using conventional farming methods. “The FFS approach has to a large extent also eased the work of camp officers in that once they

Farmer field schools promoting climate smart agricultureFrom page

To page 16

From page 5

Small-scale farmers and diversification

farming and not depend on mono crops,” says Zambia National Union of Farmers (ZNFU) Media and Public Relations Manager, Kelvin Kaleyi.Mr. Kaleyi recommended that in order to demystify the reliance on maize there is need continue to sensitize farmers about the importance of diversification. It is hard to change the mind of the farmer but if they are exposed to fellow small-scale farmers who are progressing through diver-sification it is easy for them to relate. The farmers need practical sensitization and not only verbal sensitization. Agriculture diversification is a very cardinal mechanism to economic growth. It depends, however, on the available op-portunities for diversification and farmers’ responsiveness to the opportunities. It can be facilitated by technological breakthrough, changes in trade arrangements or consumer demands and by development of roads irrigation and infrastructure (FAO Report, 2003).Mercy Chisha who is a small-scale farmer encouraged fellow small-scale farmers to engage in agriculture diversification saying “farming is a business and it needs to be practiced all year round so as famers we cannot just continue planting the traditional maize we also have to incorporate it with inte-grated farming which is mixed farming...farmers have to keep

animals such as chickens, goats etc, farming should practice as an all year round business in order to ensure value for their money and food security.” Grace Phiri, one of the women who were being celebrated during IAPRI open day dubbed “celebrating successful women in Agri-business”, is a small-scale farmer who has embraced diver-sification and has helped other small-scale farmers to diversify in their agriculture enterprises. She says most small-scale farmer who have engaged in agriculture diversity are reaping tangible benefits.“In the beginning it is hard but it’s beneficial… you don’t have to do away with maize but you can start with a small portion and you will realize that in maize there is more cost, financially and physically and yet no profit. During the beginning of Farmers Input Support Programme (FISP) I helped some farmers diversify and they realized they were mak-ing five times more than they did with maize,” Ms Phiri said.And Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute (IAPRI) Outreach Director, Ballard Zulu also conquered with the impor-tance of agriculture diversity among small-scale farmers. He explained during his presenta-tion on the current state of the agriculture sector in Zambia at a conference on “Transformation of Agriculture in Zambia” which was held on the 3rd and 4th of December, 2019.Mr Zulu said that small-scale

farmers ought to embrace di-versity and think of other crops and trades in agriculture such as aquaculture which can fetch more money than maize. He further encouraged the govern-ment to invest more in irrigation, technology and research in order to protect the agriculture sector from constraints such as climate change which tend to disturb the food security levels of the country.As Zambia is diversifying its major economic activity away from mining to agriculture, it is important for small-scale farmers and major key players to embrace agriculture diversity in order for them to practice agriculture throughout the year. In this way, they will be able to contribute to increased income and assure them of food security.With proper farmer education, early arrival of input, excellent research and good extension, Zambia will be the food hub of the region.The agriculture sector has the potential to grow immensely if the laid down poli-cies of attaining food security, increased and nutrition are actual-ized.It is one thing to come up with a good plan or policy and it is another thing to effectively implement it. With effective implementation and evaluation of policies, the agriculture sector in Zambia can indeed be the food hub of the region.

Alex ChoompoCell: 0977119765alexchoompo@yahoo.com

IS AGRICULTURE A KEY PRIORITY?

Its sheer insanity to tell peo-ple to venture into agricul-ture as a way of diversifying from being a copper reliant nation without giving people any sought of financial as-sistance.Farming requires invest-ment one cannot wake up without a plan of how they will undertake farming, at least one needs little capital to begin this time consuming venture,The agricultural sector is continuously hamperedby challenges such as low production and productivity, limited capital and market access for small scale farm-ers and high post-harvest crop losses.The recent happenings rang-ing from delayed payments of Agro dealers to late distri-bution of farming inputs are among the many examples of how the sector has been disregarded.One specific example is

that of Farmers under the Farmer input support program (FISP)who are still experiencing challenges in accessing farming inputs, a situation which has led to a delay of the 2019/2020 farm-ing season takeoff.It must be noted however, that the problem of delayed payments and late distribu-tion of farming inputs has been a yearly problem and we feel Government has not really prioritized the sector because if it did, money would have been set aside to ensure these important areas are catered for. The question is why are we still experiencing these challenges year in year out, why hasn’t the ministry of Agriculture revised their strategic plans of how to en-sure farmers receive inputs on time or make budgets to ensure agro dealers are paid their dues in a timely fashion, clearly the existing

ones have failed, as it is these have no financial muscle to supply further inputs because they are unable to restock.Our appeal is that Govern-ment considers investing and maximizing financial sup-port towards the agriculture sector, setting up processing plants is one example of how to enable the country raise revenue through exports, we have a lot of agriculture produce that goes to waste because the supply is more

than the demand. Even more, there is need to promote the formation of farmer based marketing organizations and provision of adequate infrastructure in the rural areas to promote agriculture development.Promoting livestock stock-ing and restocking programs and promote alternative financing for adaptive research to improve effec-tiveness and efficiency can contribute to the growth of the sector.

Of course in the previous years we have had initiatives such as the 2016 economic recovery program called “Zambia Plus” which was a major investment in the sector aimed at enhancing job creation and economic diversification to promote productivity and promo-tion of cash crops as well as supporting farmers access to credit. In 2017 the world Bank launched the Zambia Agri-business and trade project with a whopping $40mil-lion credit over five years to strengthen farmers’ incomes, create jobs and spur regional trade. And as of February 2018 the world Bank commit-ted $1,24billion of IDA and IBRD of which the largest amount of18 percent was for the agriculture sector. Just recently government an-nounced the implementation of the $55.4 million cashew

nut project despite it being launched in 2015.These are good examples of efforts being made to grow the sector and such initia-tives should be upheld be-cause it’s a sign that we are not only talking but walking the talk towards developing the sector how.But, are we reaping any results? Is this money actu-ally benefiting the intended beneficiaries? In all honesty most of these programs are just on paper.We cannot just talk about expanding the agriculture sector without investing in it there is need to maximize financial support in the sector,the effects of climate change that have brought about unprecedented droughts requires timely planting to alleviate poverty. let us walk the talk if we are to become food secure and financially independent.

What are sex reversed fingerlings?You will con-

sider sex reversed fingerlings if you do not only look at fish farming

on its perspective as a lucrative business unless you also consider yourself as a contributor to na-tional food security. To venture into aquaculture, you have to embrace technology, research and development. The most stun-ning question that needs to be an-swered, hence still remains, what are sex reversed fingerlings? Sex reversed fingerlings are simply fish the size of a finger that have been converted or hybridized into a single gender of either male or female, by a process known as sex reversal through the use hormones. For

example, sex reversal technique is made possible by administer-ing the male hormone, known as 17 alpha methyl testosterone, MT. With this hormone we are able to produce all male stock preferably because males have a fast production growth value. After spawning, the fry under the age of 18 days when the sex of the fish has not been differenti-ated, the fries is fed with feed diet that is supplemented with male steroids containing 17α- methyl testosterone (MT) for a period between 25 – 30 days which then turns all the females into males. This is because the early sexual maturation of tilapia often becomes a major obstacle for successful tilapia farming. Therefore, outstanding produc-

tion of Tilapia is best achieved with the use of all male tilapia, favored not only because of the unwanted reproduction caused by females but because they are also superior to females in regard to growth rate. Several methods exist and have been used to produce all male fingerlings and the use of 17α- methyl testosterone, MT, is one of them that has been used since the 1970’s. the hormonal sex reversal of breams is probably the most effective and widely used method. However, it is important to understand that the success of the hormonal applica-tion of sexual reversal depends on the following. a.Timing of the application b. Duration of the days

c. Dose of the hormone d. The physical and hydrological environment e. The thermostatic nature of your artificial treatment environment In fact, the administration of the male hormone is best done during the period of sexual dif-ferentiation, for one to achieve a successful sex reversal. This must as well explain that, the functioning sex is only deter-mined after about three weeks, making suitable timing estimates to begin at around 18 days. Let me keep the dose of the hormone, a subject for another day, but It is important to keep in mind that, Genetically, all em-bryos are already sex differenti-ated upon fertilization by their

existing chromosomes. Hence and ideally, the hormone treated feed is the first feed provided, immediately after the yolk sac. Because, you will all need to beat the chances of failure or perhaps reduce the probability of female existence after the treatment. Even if the media magnifies the fear of hormone use; Let me conclude that, the use of male hormone for sex reversal of the common breams, has proved reasonably and above that it pro-vides both practical and efficient methods, better and safer enough than any other alternatives known to fisheries science today.

Zambia-JICA Partnership Increases Farmer IncomesBy Vincent Chilikima

The partnership between the Zambian government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency

(JICA) has increased household income and improved nutrition security for 13,524 beneficiaries of an irrigation project in Much-inga Province. Muchinga Province Principal Ag-ricultural Officer, Fred Chikuta, has disclosed in an interview with NAIS that the Technical support to the Community Based Smallholder Irrigation (T-COB-SI) Development Project has facilitated the construction of 87 simple and 7 permanent weirs,

from the time the project was launched in 2013.Chikuta said as a result of constructing the weirs, small-holder farmers in the project areas of Muchinga Province are cultivating 230 hectares of land under irrigation for horticultural crops that include Irish Potatoes, Tomatoes, Onions, Cabbage and Rape. Meanwhile, JICA Co-Team Leader Yoshinao Adachi has disclosed that the T-COBSI pro-ject ended in 2017, but has been succeeded by the Expansion of Community Based Smallholder Irrigation (E-COBSI) Develop-ment Project and is running from 2019 to 2024.Adachi adds that E-COBSI is

emphasising on market oriented agriculture; nutrition improve-ment; water management and operational maintenance of weirs.

Speaking, yesterday, during a Market Survey Training in Mpika district, Adachi explained that agriculture extension of-ficers were being trained in

the Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) Approach, an extension methodology intended to build capacity in smallholder farmers to identify and secure the market before engaging in any agricul-tural production enterprise. He added that the SHEP exten-sion approach was very practical because it provided a linkage between the farmers and market-eers so that horticultural farmers could only produce vegetables in response to the demand from the market and thereby avoid very low prices due to oversupply to the market of one or more com-modities.He further added that the agri-cultural extension officers were

expected to extend the training to smallholder farmers within and outside the E-COBSI project catchment areas, adding that vegetable farmers usually grow their crops with very little market information and thereby causing them to incur losses.“I am very optimistic that this training will go a long way in building capacity in our farm-ers, especially those that have benefited from the weirs and irrigation project, to further in-crease their incomes by applying business and marketing skills to their horticultural production,” added Adachi.The Market Survey Training was attended by 60 participants, drawn from six and four selected districts of Northern and Much-inga Provinces respectively.

L-R: Yoshinao Adachi and Fred Chikuta in Mpika. Picture by Vincent Chi-likima

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Sulani Zimba Had This to Say

Good morning fellow farmers kindly help me understand this term “ no mans’ land “ am in Chongwe Kanakantapa area and am facing dif-ficulties in terms of feeding my cattle’s, the land the animals we keep are supposed to graze or eat from has been given to other people to rent the area by our chairman’s...is that OK?

ResponsesKelvin lumayiTo my understanding, there is no place called No Mans’ Land, but a village setting have such places where to take their animals for graz-ing, and that is not your land anything can happen to it, Therefore, all your animals should be accommodated within your legally given land, or else they will be labelled stray animals and a nuisance to your fellow farmers,Sekabuhe Nsiramasanga Amongst us Africans there was no outright ownership of land as such, but unwritten understanding that some areas are reserved for farming, grazing and forestry. The ownership of land is a colonial thing introduced to Africa and hence the erection of fences and bea-cons putting a price on land that was previously owned by everyone. This introduced new values and evils to us like theft, poverty, greed and downright selfishness. Now you can’t go into a field to pick wild fruits because they now belong to someone. These values and cultures were imported to Africa and are not indigenous to us. The sad thing is we can’t

Kingsley kanjela wroteThe new employment code has enhanced workers’ conditions unlike in the past.It depends which side of a coin one is on.A worker will say it is nothing and on the other hand the employer is on panic mode that it is now very expensive maintaining a worker.Note: Many of us are employers if by any chance you have employed a farm worker, garden boy, house maid, shop keeper, driver and so on.On the face of the employer if you employ some one and works for a year then that contract goes into long term to which that employee is entitled to either gratuity or retirement benefits, NAPSA, leave days. Hope we know how gratuity is calculated.If say after 11months you terminate the contract and renew it after one month then that employee is retained and this keeps on going on for say two years or more so as to elude gratuity, then such is deemed as unfair labor practice. To which it can be challenged in court of law should a worker take that matter to court.Well, it will be good for you to read SI No. 2 of 2011. Though note that mini-mum wage principal act has been repealed but SI No. 2 of 2011 has not been repealed as it takes another SI to repeal another SI.Read Employment Code- Section 55 on Redundancy.- Section 73 on Gratuity.- Section 94Also read Constitution of Zambia 266 Chapter 3 and get the explanation on short term and long term contract.Also do note that wages are protected. That simply means that any accrued income is not supposed to be withheld by the employer.So as we employ these employees let us know our obligation. Some we em-ploy them on the pretext of their ignorance but the more we sensitize them the more they get to know what is due to them and you will just end up shocked that the worker would have accrued so much that if you can’t pay you may end up declared bankrupt and the farm will end up being for that worker to recover the money.As an employer take keen interest to understand the Employment Code. Em-ployees who do not fully understand the Employment Code do find time to go to Labour Office so that they explain to you the law governing employment.Any contract falling short of the law, the law supercede that contract.Lawyers may bring uses of superiority of law, well there is a case which went to court were Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) sued the Labour Minis-ter. The outcome of that judgement is there to speak for itself.

Cattlemen Cooperative Society Enhancing Livestock KnowledgeBy Sally Mulambya

The Cattlemen Live-stock Cooperative Society, outgoing Chairman Hum-phrey Himwaaba-

has stated that there is need for concerted effort and dedication from both government and the private sector in developing the

livestock sector.In a speech read on his behalf during the first AGM held in Lusaka, Mr. Himwaaba ex-plained that in the recent years there has been incoordination in the cattle industry that has lagged in response to the press-ing incumbent circumstances such as the subsequent ban on livestock movement which has

negatively affected the industry and the prevalence of livestock disease outbreaks.He added that the drought ex-perienced during the 2018/2019 farming season has also ac-centuated negative impacts on the cattle farmer as it affected the natural vegetation on which cattle feed thereby driving up the cost of feed and exposing

animals to a higher disease burden.Mr. Humphrey stated that all these challenges have raised the cost of keeping cattle as farmers are being forced to look for supplementary feed-ing for their animals which has consequently led to the loss of livestock.“The price of beef at the abat-toir has remained stagnant in absolute terms and in some instances it has reduced because of the glut in supply that is created by a panic on the supply side of the market,” he noted.The chairman however, pledged that the organization

will commit to uphold various laws that affect the cattle sector.“As a cooperative we shall strive to promote internal governance systems and are en-visaged to ensure that the cattle industry prospers,” he said.At the same event the registrar of cooperatives explained that cooperatives have the poten-tial of improving the social economic status of communi-ties that they operate in through value adding activities and creation of employment op-portunities.“we want to see more and more commerce and trade activities being generated from coopera-tives to help members achieve

their household economic targets, in simple terms we want to see cooperatives that are business oriented,” he explained. He advised members to consider electing women in managerial positions because women are the under-represent-ed category of the population and it would represent an all rounded nature of the coopera-tives’ membership.The Cattlemen livestock cooperative organization which has been in operation for one yearis aimed at developing the livestock sector in Zambia.

Dear editor

I would like to seek advice from my fellow farmers,what advice can you give me before i take a serious action?i came back from the seminary because the life style and vocation was not mine.i missed my path when i was in grade 2, my friends who stopped school and went to their parents’ farm and started growing sugar can,beans, maize etc, today are billionaires.They live well than me who reached seminary.however,i accepted to follow their footsteps but farmers around dads’ farm here in Zambia’s Chilonga and Mpika, are all criminals.they could leave what they have grown to come and steal mine. last time, they stole my soya beans.i took the matter to court,no compensation has been made.I continued making small chitemene gathering where 2 plant cas-sava and millet and they destructed them.i planted sugar cane,they uprooted.last time,they uprooted my cassava last year, they up rooted my cassava along kamanamabala river and sweet potato bringing the total to k5,900 .they bent sorghumfield& took roof-ing hips of grass.The sukumaand bisa speaking people are the only criminals. What should I do about this situation?

Paul Banda.

Seeking advice from my fellow farmers

0968 510 155

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Transforming One Fish Pond to a Commercial Fish Farm

By Sally Mulambya

“I realized that there was a deficit of fish through my interactions with dif-ferent players in the in-dustry as an aquaculture

consultant and it is from then that I decided to set up a facility that would contribute to lowering the fish deficit in the country,” he lamented. These are the words of Royd Mukonda an aquaculture expert and fish farmer owner of‘Mukasa Agro-solutions and Fish Farm’ who has been in the fish farming business for the last three years.

Having worked as an aquaculture consultant and manager for Com-mercial aquaculture facilities for ten years, Mr. Mukonda decided to setup a commercial hatchery in Kabwe District, 11 km behind Mulungushi University on Mu-lungushi River, a fish farm that has attracted customers across Africa ranging from Angola, Bostwana, Malawi, and Congo among others.“I breed fish and supply to farmers that are doing fish farming and 75 percent of our customers are Zambians with 25 percent coming from outside the country,we also sell fingerlings for Oreochromis andersonii or

Kafue bream and Catfish finger-lings. We have a dedicated team to attend to every customers’ needs.”, he said. Although his business is steadily growing he laments that his suc-cess did not come without chal-lenges as he complained that he faced problems in relation to lack of funding to meet the demand for fingerlings as he could not push the project fast from only 250 fishwhich he started with and 1 fish pond, coupled with having to run a farm on diesel and solar power which he states is quiet expensive as it is not connected to grid electricity.“When I started I had no money,

but having worked as an aqua-culture expert I started offering a paid consultancy service and writing books on aquaculture this earned me a few coins which I invested in the business and bought a farm where I set up 1 pond and increased to three ponds”, Mr. Mukonda explained. However, despite the few chal-lenges that he dealt with on a daily basis, Royd laments that it is these challenges that led him to developing a few guidelines which he follows that have transformed his farm into a big Business. According to Mr. Mukonda every fish farmer should invest

at least 75 percent of their time into the farm and have a series of protocols to guide them during their daily routine to make work easier, he adds that his main areas of concentration on the farm range from water quality in terms of water quality manage-ment, monitoring oxygen, Sex Reversal treatment, temperature levels and egg collection.He however, noted that hygiene has been key in ensuring that disease outbreak is kept away and should be highly considered by fish farmers.Despite his busy schedule Royd Mukonda takes time to provide capacity building trainings to other fish farmers so that the fish

deficit is lowered, he explained that he provides extension services as well as construction of ponds for farmers that want to design their farms, adding that he also works with different supervising structures such as ministry of fisheries, universities and world fish.“We are trying to build a team that has an understanding of the whole production system of aq-uaculture and offer trainings, that try to put the latest aquaculture technologies which include value addition technology, feeding strategies, latest breeding tech-nologies and also simplified feed supplements.” He explained Mr. Mukonda said operating the fish farm has sustained him financially as he is able to pay his bills, provide for his family and also pay his workers.The fish farmer said he is work-ing on an out grower scheme so as to enable other fish farmers learn these strategies and practice how to go about them. He further added that due to the effect of climate change he has embarked on a project to breed catfish (Imilonge) which are climate resilient because there is currently no breeder for catfish in the country, a project he said has reached an advanced stage on which he is working with experts from east and west Africa to offer knowledge and technical expertise. The fish breeder further, urged farmers and would be fish farm-ers never to venture into fish farming without acquiring basic skills and understanding about aquaculture and evaluate the con-sultants they are working with before making a decision.“People that want to venture in fish farming should always consult fully fledged experts in the business who have an under-standing of the practice, never follow social media experts who rely on google because you might invest into a business with wrong information and make a lose”, he advised.

GROWMORE TECHNOLOGIES LIMITEDPLOT NO. 12114, MUMBWA ROAD, CHINIKA, LUSAKACONTACT NO. 09509 70871 / 09686 21933 / 09791 21827EMAIL : SALES@FARMTRACZAMBIA.COM

Double seeding prevention by conveyor vibration mechanism

POTATO PLANTER

Available in 2 Rows Row to row adjustment option available from 600 to 650 mm. Fertilizer tanker is attached with the machine. Can be operated by single man as the machine is Fully automatic. Agitator available to remove seed blockages problem.

Chilanga Vaccinates Cattle against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)By Dorcas Kabuya

Cattle populations are vulnerable to the deadly and highly conta-gious Foot and Mouth

Disease (FMD), and efforts to

prepare for a potential outbreak are being strengthened through the department of veterinary services in the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. FMD is a highly contagious viral

disease that affects cattle, sheep, goats, and other cloven hoofed animals. Signs of the disease may include depressed animals, mouth sores accompanied by a reluc-tance to eat and lameness.

Due to its central location and proximity to the markets, Chilanga District, is at high risk of recording outbreaks of FMD.This is owing to the fact that Chilanga is a transit district for some farmers of Southern and Central Provinces,which have been hot spots of the disease, due to illegally ferrying their animals for sale in Lusaka.It goes to attest that cattle rearing is more than just a livelihood; it is a source of income for many families in Zambia and any po-tential outbreak could threatenthe livestock sector and affect the lives of poor people who depend on them. Chilanga District Veterinary Of-ficer, Christine Inambao, noted that the department was elated that government had stepped in to take preventive measures by vaccinating cattle of all catego-ries of farmers from Namayani, Mundengwa and Kasupe, areas which border with Chibombo district against FMD.Dr. Inambao disclosed that this was the first time cattle were being vaccinated in the district to prevent any incidences of the disease, a move that farmers had warmly received and appreciated. “As a department we are targeting to vaccinate about 2, 500 cattle

against FMD in areas which are at risk due to some illegal cattle trading from areas which are hot spots,” she added.Dr. Inambao cautioned farmers to observe bio-security measures by not allowing any new animals into their herds, and to minimise the movement of their own herds to other farms.“Although no serious incidences of FMD have been reported in Chilanga, an outbreak of FMD results in huge economic losses to all farmers because trade is restricted as the movement of animals and their products to and from the affected areas is banned,” she emphasised. Dr. Inambao said the ban on the movement of livestock lasts several monthsas has been the case in the past adding that farm-ers’ livelihoods and incomes are brought to a halt until the disease is contained.“Any suspected case of the dis-ease in animals must be reported to the local veterinarian immedi-ately,” Dr. Inambao urged.And BH Farm Manager, Mpun-duHamusonde, of Namayani area thanked government for commencing the FMD vaccina-tion exercise and advised other farmers to be receptive to such initiatives by government aimed

Fish farmers costructing a fish farm at mukasa fish farm

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AGRI-COOP NEWSPAPER, FEBRUARY 2020 | VOLUME 130

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13AGRI-COOP NEWSPAPER, FEBRUARY 2020 | VOLUME 130

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AGRISOCIAL

Mulaye Mwendafilumba

Egg In A Toasted Heart

The hocks on our young calf (10 mo) are swollen right above…The hocks on our young bull calf (10 mo) are swollen right above the hoofs causing him to walk kind of stiff as if he is post legged. I have been told the it could be a Selenium vitamin deficiency. What do you think? What do you recommend?

Answer Good afternoon. It sounds to me like what you are describing is swollen joints. This is similar to joint ill in newborn calves. Which would mean that he has gotten an infection of some kind that has made its way into the joint cavities. This would cause what you’re seeing (swol-len joints, pain when walking). I would recommend that you start giving him antibiotics ASAP. Penicillin is a good choice but something more broad spectrum may be indicated. Also medicine like banamine to decrease pain and inflammation. I have found that steroids are often the most useful thing to give in these cases. And then if you have the option to stand the calf in cool water this would help to relieve some inflammation and would allow him to walk a little easier also.

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Down1. Mammary Animals (6)2. Wetland Grasses (5)4. Chose (5)5. Harvests (6)6. Worth (5)11.Bee Bite (5)13.Mammary Gland (5)16.Citrus Fruit (6)17.Frequently (5)18.Blemish (6)20.Relaxes (5)21.Cease-fire (5)

Solution for Agri-Coop Puzzle 039

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Down1. Mammary Animals (6)2. Wetland Grasses (5)4. Chose (5)5. Harvests (6)6. Worth (5)11.Bee Bite (5)13.Mammary Gland (5)16.Citrus Fruit (6)17.Frequently (5)18.Blemish (6)20.Relaxes (5)21.Cease-fire (5)

Solution for Agri-Coop Puzzle 039

We’ve heard the saying, “ the way to a mans heart is through

his stomach “. Well, if you ask me, the way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach because we all love good food.Its February, the month where a number of people in the world including Zambia, exchange gifts and remind each other of how much they love them. We are in our second month of our budget friendly meal series and what better way to express your love

than with a nice breakfast. The ingredients are readily available in stores and are cost friendly. Show your love to your family and friends once in a while with a special meal this new year.

...We love Him because He first loved us.( John 4:19)

INGREDIENTS4 large fresh eggs4 thick slices of bread (white/brown)Margarine/olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste1 heart shaped cookie cutter

METHOD1. Lay your bread flat and

place the heart shaped cookie cutter in the center. Press the cookie cutter down ensuring the edges remain intact for the egg not to sip out. Remove the cut piece and place on the side. Repeat this process for the other slices.

2. On medium heat, add 1 TBSP of margarine/olive

oil in a pan. Add the bread slice in the pan and toast it on one side. Remove it from the pan.

3. Crack 1 egg in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Do not mix.

4. Add another TBSP of margarine/olive oil in the pan and place the bread on the side that’s not toasted. Immediately, pour the egg in the center and cook on medium low heat till the egg is cooked. The egg york can be slightly runny. Repeat the process for the other slices.

5. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Level of difficulty: Easy

Prep time: 5 min

Cooking time: 10 min

Serving: 2-4 people

Chef MulayeMwendafilumba

Face book page: I think you stole my kitchenBlog: https://azambiankitchen.blogspot.com/

Cell number: 0979386584Email address: 1bitesandtreats@gmail.com Services offered: cooking classes for all ages, finger snacks, personal and outdoor catering and consultation.

Ask Dr Linda

Competition finish the story

It had been two days now, Mwansa had just returned to the farm, he decided to rest however, the farm workers were curious about how the questioning at the police station went and why he had not returned for two days, they were sympathetic.

4 o’clock in the evening and most of them where preparing to go to the funeral house after a long day’s work. Sililo and a group of men could be seen approaching him. Sililo took over as acting manager in his place, a sense of pride befell Mwansa, after seeing the work that had been done on the farm, the coffee removing task in section A of the coffee fields was done. Pleasantries had been exchanged, they offered him a seat. He proceeded to tell them that Detective Nkole who came with Chali’s wife when Sililo broke the news about Chali’s body having been found. The detective questioned him and Banda. Banda was under arrest for manslaughter.Banda narrated that one evening he had been accompanied Chali who was maneuvering a tractor harboring an industrial plough. According to Banda the tractor got stuck and so Chali proceeded to check as he left Banda on the vehicle. Chali claimed that the trac-tor was stuck in a pile of mud. He then proceeded to place stones where the truck stopped. Chali returned and accelerated and alas they had emerged from the mud. Chali had owed Banda money. Chali had long assured him that the money would come however, Banda decided to bring the topic up. Chali told Banda that he would pay him when salaries came in, Chali also proceeded to tell Banda to stop his drinking habits for he felt they were ruining Banda’s life. Banda became furious when he heard this, he told Chali that his drinking was none of his concern. The tractor got stuck again. Chali went to check what happened. Banda heard Chali call out to him, he also could hear him mutter-ing more words but he couldn’t make up much of what was being said, so he decided to go down to hear what was being said. He decided to go through the driver’s seat because of the mud he had seen below on his side. The unthinkable happened, Banda accidentally stepped on the ac-celerator and the tractor leaped forward. And hit Chali. Banda was astonished. He saw Chali’s lifeless body. He didn’t know what to do

Competition: What did Banda do next?

Ask lulu

Peanut, also known as groundnut(Arachis hypogaea), is a crop of global importance. The most common

ways of using peanuts is in the form of oil and as roasted snack.Health Benefits of Peanuts:

1. #Rich_in_Energy:Peanuts contain vitamins, miner-als, nutrients and anti-oxidants and thus are rich energy sources

2. #Cholesterol:It lowers bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol in the body Peanuts contain mono-unsaturated fatty acids especially oleic acid that prevents coronary diseases.

3. #Growth:Peanuts are rich in proteins. The amino acids present in them are good for proper growth and development of body

4. #Fights_Stomach_Cancer:Poly-phenolic anti-oxidants are present in the peanuts in high concentrations. P-Coumaric acid has the ability to reduce the risk of stomach cancer by reducing the productions of carcinogenic nitrous-amines

5. #Fights_against_Heart_Dis-eases Nerves Diseases, Alzhei-mer’s Disease, and Infections:A poly-phenolic anti-oxidant, Resveratrol present in peanuts prevents heart diseases, cancers, nervous diseases and viral or fungal infections efficiently

6. Reduces the Chances of #Stroke:The anti-oxidant, Resveratrol in peanuts prevents heart strokes by increasing the production of nitric oxide

7. #Anti_oxidants:Peanuts contain anti-oxidants in high concentrations These anti-oxidants become more active when peanuts are boiled. There is a 2-fold increase in Biocha-nin-A and 4-fold increase in Genistein content. These reduce the damage done by free radicals produced in the body.

8. #Protects_Skin:Vitamin E in peanuts helps in

Amazing_Benefits_Of_Pea-nuts (GROUNDNUTS)

LIKE OUR PAGE FOR MORE HEALTH TIPS AND HOME REMEDIES health and wellness

maintaining the integrity of cells of mucous membrane and the skin. This protects them from free radicals which cause great damage (8).

9. #Vitamins:Peanuts contain B complex, vitamins like niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin B6, vitamin B9, pantothenic acid etc

10. #Minerals:Potassium, manganese, cop-per, calcium, magnesium, iron, selenium and zinc are some of the minerals present in peanuts. These play an important role in many different body functions

11. #Gall_Stones:Just an ounce of peanuts or two tablespoons of peanut but-ter each week can save you from gall stones or gallbladder diseases with 25% reduced risk. This amazing health benefit of peanuts keeps all the diseases at bay

12. #Low_Risk_of_Weight_Gain:Women who eat peanuts or pea-nut butter at least twice a week are less likely to be susceptible to obesity than those who don’t. If you eat peanut butter every morning with bread slices, you have less chances of gaining weight

13. #Colon_Cancer:Peanuts can reduce colon cancer especially in women. Eating at least 2 spoons of peanut butter twice a week can reduce the risk of colon cancer in women by up to 58% and in men by up to 27%. This is one of the best benefits of peanuts for women

14. #Helps_in_Fertility:If taken before and during early pregnancy, the folic acid low-ers the risk of baby being born with serious neural tube defects reduced by up to 70%

15. Regulates #Blood_Sugar:Manganese in peanuts helps in calcium absorption, fats and carbohydrates metabolism and sugar level regulation in blood

16. #Fights_Depression:Low Serotonin levels leads to

depression. Tryptophan in pea-nuts increases the release of this chemical and thus helps you fight depression Eating peanut benefits health in many ways and you should make it a point to take in a minimum of two tablespoons of peanut butter each week in order to keep those dangerous diseases away and stay healthy!

Peanut Benefits Of Skin:Apart from satisfying hunger pangs, consumption of peanuts also makes the skin smooth, sup-ple and younger looking.Some of the benefits of peanuts for skin include:

17. The #anti_inflammatory properties of peanuts treat skin disorders like psoriasis and eczema. The fatty acids present in peanuts also reduce swelling and skin redness. Peanuts contain Vitamin E, zinc and magnesium, which keeps the skin glowing from within and fights the bacte-ria that lead to acne. The protein content in peanuts also helps with cell regeneration

18. Peanuts contain a relatively good amount of fatty acids which is believed to be critical to the #brains_nerve cells. This brain friendly cell helps with stress management and mood swings to prevent various skin disorders like wrinkles, fine line and dull-ness.

19. Fiber in nuts is essential for the #elimination_of_and_tox-ins_and_waste. Toxins inside the body reflect on our outside appearance, causing breakout, dullness and excess oil. Eating peanuts regularly helps flush out excess toxins from the body to give you a healthy skin

20. Peanut is loaded with mag-nesium which calms our nerve, muscles and blood vessels to provide better #blood_flow_to_the_skin. This, in turn, gives you a youthful and healthy skin.

21. Skin damage occurs as a result of oxidation, a chemi-cal process in which unstable molecules called free radicals steal electrons from healthy cells. Vitamin E in peanuts defends our skin’s cells against the damage of oxidative stress. It guards our skin from the harsh UV rays of the sun to protect against sun burn and skin damage

22. Signs of ageing like wrinkles, discoloration and decreased elasticity are one of our biggest beauty concerns. Peanut contains

To page16

Sandra and Timothy

Topic: Government should phase out hoe digging and distribute animals and ploughs to help with fam-ing.Sandra: I propose that government should phase out the usage of hoe digging and introduce the usage of animals in the act of cultivating fields otherwise known as Animal traction. I believe that in a digital world the use of a hoe is detrimental for the small scale farmer. I believe that Government should introduce Animal traction systems in order to better the Agricultural situation.

Timothy: I oppose this motion vehemently, phasing out the hoe will not help the agricultural sector, it will weaken it, and the hoe has been the salvation for many families and is a symbol of opportunity to many who would better their lives.

Sandra: After independence Thailand was poorer than us as Zambia, but today they are richer now. This was because their King at the time decided to phase out the use of Human traction and introduce animal traction. This changed Thailand and placed it amongst the most advanced places in the world. Some of the uses of Animals are:

1. In crop farming including cultivation, and weeding 2. Transport for pulling sleighs and scotch carts 3. Water-lifting for irrigation4. Post-harvest operations e.g. threshing, winnowing, shelling, extraction of oil etc. Lower priority

was given to harvesting and land preparation.

I therefore emphasize that the motion above be taken seriously in order to guarantee a future of pros-perity.

Timothy: Using Animal traction brings about problems of its own such as:1. Animal disease burden 2. Lack of sufficient animal feed especially during the dry season, lack of training for farmers, 3. Cost of implementations 4. Lack of involvement of the majority of Zambians, as well as women in cattle & donkey animal

traction and lack of information on improved and proven techniques used elsewhere I therefore advise that the hole remain the flagship of our Agriculture and that the usage of animals that most of the general populace cannot even feed shouldn’t be used.

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Health & Welness

Lets Debate this

15

Growing Okra for Commercial Production

at protecting the livestock indus-try in the district and the country as a whole. Mr. Hamusonde said no cost was being incurred by the farmers as the vaccinations were purely a government funded programme stating farmers must take advan-tage of this exercise and inquire on other livestock challenges faced. “As farmers let us compliment this effort by observing bio security measures, it is important to bring animal diseases under control as a prerequisite for pro-ductivity improvements because our lives depend on the animals,” he said.Livestock farmers are therefore urged to support the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock by alert-ing the veterinary department in their area of any suspected illegal movement of cattle if the district is to remain a free FMD zone.

Chilanga Vac-cinates Cattle against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD)

From page

By Sally Mulambya

Is it not fully known as to where this delicacy originated from but several believe that this delicacy originated from Ethiopia,

in Zambia the seed pods are of-ten prepared either by boiling or frying. However, most people are reluctant to take up okra farming despite it being easy to grow.There are quiet a few consid-erations and steps to follow for those willing to grow okra on a large scale.

SOILA well drained, fertile soil is best for okra production select a soil with good water holding capacity. Do not plant on very light, sandy soils, soils that are poorly drained or known to have hardpans should not be planted to Okra.

LAND PREPARATIONEarly land preparation is an important step in growing a good crop. Turning the soil in the fall or early spring will give crop residue time to decompose before okra is planted early land prepa-

rations also allows for many weed seed to germinate. These seedlings should be killed as you disk the soil before planting. Since okra is very susceptible to nematodes, it is important to fumigate the soil if nematodes are present. You can determine if nematodes are present by sampling the soil. Okra grows best on soils that have a PH value of 6.5 to 7.0 its best advised to conduct a soil test to indicate if lime is required to specify the amount of fertilizer needed.If lime is needed use dolomitic lime, apply it 3 or 4 months before the crop is seeded.

FERTILIZEROkra grows best in rich soils you can use compost or bagged fertilizers or plant it on soils that have a pH of 5.8 to 6.5. A soil test will indicate if lime is required and willspecify the amount of fertilizer to apply. If lime is recommended, use dolo-mitic lime. Apply it three orfour months before the crop is seeded.

Research indicates that okra should respond to additional

phosphate when the soil test in-dicates medium to lowphosphate. If your soil test indicates low phosphate, broadcast 400 pounds per acre of 20 percent superphos-phate and disk it in. If the soil test indicates medium phosphate, apply 200 pounds peracre of 20 percent superphos-phate and disk it in.If a soil test is not available,

general recommendations are to apply 600 to 800 pounds per acre of a complete fertilizer such as 6-12-12 or 5-10- This can be mixed under row or applied in a band to the side.

The okra plant has a sensitive balance betweenvegetative (foli-age production) and reproduc-tion (pod production). The use

of additional nitrogen should beavoided on vigorous plantings until fruiting begins to check plant growth.Two or more side dressings with a high analysis nitrogen material may be needed, how-ever, depending on rainfall. It is important to supply additional nitrogen late in the season at the time the “forms” or “blooms”

are concentrated in the top of the plant. Put down 33 pounds of ad-ditional nitrogen per acre at each application.

PLANTINGSeed the okra after the soil has warmed enough to allow good germination. Space rows 28 to 38 inches apart. The spacing’s will require 12 to 15 pounds of seed per acre. Plant 1½ to 2 inches deep, 4 to 6 seedper foot. Thin to 8 to 12 inches between plants. Corn planters, such as the Cole planter, can be used for okra if the seed plate and cog are changed to plant this size seed. Planet Jr. type of seed planter is also suitable.

CROP ROTATIONSince okra is very susceptible to damage by nematodes, it is advised that you follow a crop rotation, using crops such as grasses and small grains, which prevent a buildup of nematode populations. Okra should not follow vine crops, such crops as squash and sweet potatoes.

Cont in the next issue

Phase 3 of Timber Drying kiln UnderwayBy Sally Mulambya

Zambian Timber has over the years fetched very low prices on both local and international

markets due to poor processing facilities, lack of subsequent operational investment and the poor economy that hinders local timber dealers from acquiring the best technology for the kilning process. However, in an effort to improve timber processing the Zambia Technology Development and Advisory Unit TDAU in Col-laboration with The University school of Engineering, The Cop-perbelt University and The Zam-bia Association of Sawmillers of Kitwe have proposed a joint research aimed at prototyping and experimentally evaluating an improved small scale timber drying kiln.The project which was awarded a strategic research grant in 2014 by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) worth K398,052.90, was aimed at focusing on numerical model-ling and design of small scale timber drying kiln to help reduce the existing gap in timber pro-cessing facilities.Technology Development and Advisory Unit said that the

research will help reduce the gap in timber processing facilities and improve timber processing in Zambia.Speaking in an interview, Tech-nology development and Advi-sory unit research fellow Sydney Mutale stated that the project was also going to benefit the depart-ments of mechanical engineering studying computational fluid dy-namics (CDF) because it would be used as a lab.He stated that the project had already met half of its set objec-tives as review of CAD/CFD

models had been done as well asacquisition of testing equip-ment, preparation of site and data collection of CAD/CFD refine-ment had been completed.According to Mr. Mutale phase three of the project costing a grand total of ZMW 79,452.65 the balance of ZMW 398,052,65 which was disbursed in July 2018 was underway. Phase three of the projected is expected to achieve the fol-lowing activities which include training, specifying protocols and testing equipment, acquisition of timber for testing, data collection

and analysis, development of a design package and reporting & dissemination which had not been done in phase two and three of the research project. Mr. Mutale stated that the kil-nwhich was constructed in 2016 within TDAU but was still not in use because installation of all construction material had not been done,He however, explained that the project wasdelayed due to lack of technical workshop man-power and negotiations between Construction Materials Centre (CMC) and the Committee on

Estates Development. He noted that the limited research in the adaptation of foreign timber technology for local manufacturing at low cost, timber dealers had resorted to improper and poor methods of drying and hence the poor qual-ity.The researcher said project was important for the timber sector as it is expected to benefit local timber dealers with better kilning methods. The project is expected to be completed by December 2019 after work plan adjustments.

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FEATURE

significant amount of Vitamin C which is required for the produc-tion of collagen. Collagen is required to sustain tendons, skin and cartilage. It provides firmness and elasticity to the skin to keep it young and supple.

23. Beta carotene, an antioxidant found in peanuts is very critical for skin’s health. It is converted into Vitamin A in the body which helps in the growth and repair of body tissues. Thus peanuts help to heal wounds and bruises at a faster pace.

24. Peanuts are packed with omega 3 fatty acids which help our skin in many ways Omega 3 fatty acids reduce inflammation in the body to prevent skin eruptions. It lowers the risk of developing squamous skin cancer cell. It also moisturizes and hydrates the skin from within to treat dry and scaly skin.

25. Peanuts are very effective for treating skin problems like pus-tules, skin rashes and rosacea.

26. Peanut butter facial mask is gaining immense popularity these days. Applying natural peanut butter on the face clears away the dirt and impurities to give you a healthy looking skin. Wash your face with a cleanser and then apply peanut butter on your entire face. Allow the mask to dry and then wash it off by massaging your skin slowly in circular motions. Rinse your face with warm water and pat dry. Do a patch test first and then apply it to the entire face as allergic reactions are very common side effects of peanuts. Those who are allergic to peanuts should stay away from it

Peanut Benefits of Hair:27. Peanuts contain several hair friendly nutrients that are benefi-cial for maintaining healthy hair. It contains a high level of omega 3 fatty acids which strengthens scalp health and hair follicles to promote hair growth (24).

28. Peanut is an excellent source of larginine, an amino acid which is very helpful for treating male pattern baldness and to encourage the growth of healthy hair. It also improves the health of artery walls and prevents blood clotting to im-prove blood flow. A proper blood flow throughout the body and hair is imperative to get healthy and strong hair.29. Deficiency in vitamin E can lead to brittle and weak hair which can easily break. Including proper level of vitamin E in your diet ensures that the hair roots receive a rich supply of hair healthy vitamins to keep them strong and healthy.

YOUR HEALTH IS OUR PRIOR-ITY

Amazing_Benefits_Of_Peanuts (GROUND-NUTS)From page 14

Chifundo Kondanani Copperative Society Limited Creating Employmwnt For The YouthsBy Chila Sinkamba

Zambia like many other African coun-tries has a challenge of unemployment amongst its citizens

especially the youths. To address the unemployment challenge government through the line ministries and cooperating partners has come up with good programmes as indicated in the Seventh National Development Plan.However, due to limited re-sources and slow growing private sector the effort of employment creation seems farfetched. On a positive note government has created a conducive environ-ment for private sector to grow and create the much needed jobs for the citizenry. Considering the above stated limitations, it is a view of many scholars that government must take interest in cooperatives because they have the potential to create steady employment for many Zambian youths.In this regards stakeholders involved in poverty reduction and employment creation must take interest and learn from the pro-activeness of ChifundoKon-danani Cooperative Society Limited. Chifundo Kondanani Coop-erative Society Limited was registered in 1998 and has a gender sensitive membership of 800 members. This coopera-tive is situated in Chaisa area at the roundabout off the junction going to Kabanana in Lusaka. The cooperative businesses are carpentry and selling of second hand clothes. But the carpentry business is run on large scale. This includes production of assorted wood products from building fittings to furniture.The cooperative has a good customer base in Lusaka and surrounding district. Across the country the cooperative has

outlets in the following towns; Mongu in Western, Mbala in Northern, Chipata in Eastern, Livingstone in Southern and Kasumbalesa in Copperbelt provinces. To complement government ef-fortsin job creation the coopera-tive has employed 200 youths. The youths are involved in day to day wood works. And most importantly the cooperative has been conducting onsite basic car-pentry and joinery skill trainings for the employed youths. The employed youths include school drop outs, school leaversa nd college graduates. In this regard Chifundo Kondanani Coopera-tive Society Limited has created steady direct income for 800 people and indirect income for 4000 family members. In order to be a competitive player in the market against locally produced and imported couches ChifundoKondanani Cooperative Society Limited requires support in the following areas; wood designing and join-ery training, machinery/facility, market support.WOOD DESIGNING AND JOINERY TRAININGGovernment through the depart-ment of cooperative development must facilitate training linkages between the cooperative and trades training schools so that modern wood designing and joinery skills are imparted in the cooperative members especially the youths. MACHINERY AND FACILITY SUPPORTGovernment through the Citizen Economic Empower-ment Commission must come up with affirmative action to give machinery and facility sup-port to viable cooperatives like Chifundo Kondanani Coopera-tive Society Limited. The use of machines will improve the quality of wood products. At the same time construction of

huge modern workshop with stand by power generator at the cooperative site will create a one stop shop of affordable quality wood products. This will allow cooperative members to work from 08:00 hours to 17:00 hours without stoppage of work in case of adverse weather factors and load shedding.

MARKET SUPPORT It will be a great deal if govern-ment could contract the coopera-tive to supply some government schools with wooden desks and construction materials especially in newly built schools.Chifundo Kondanani Coopera-tive Society Limited under the chairmanship of Mr Cassius Ka-

bandula has shown that coopera-tives can be potential vehicles of employment creation for youths. If well supported technically and financially this cooperative can improve lives of many youths in Chaisa, Mandevu, Kabanana and other surrounding communities of Lusaka district.

between suppliers and users of cassava products through sub-sector agents/ aggregators like Mutakamwa productions LTD who supply cassava to markets of interest. He added that these cassava processing innovations and technologies introduced to smallholderfarmers contributes to the development of cassava products. “The production of cassava is easy because it is a climate resilient crop although it faces serious biotic constraints, such as crop damage by livestock,diseases and pets, poor logistics for the supply of plant-ing materials, poor agronomic practices and poor harvest han-dling and processing,” he said.He stated that much needs to be done in commercializing

the crop to enable smallholder farmers adopt new varieties for excess yields for them to derive benefits from meeting the grow-ing global food demand and at the same time achieve food security as well as improved livelihood. Speaking in interview with Miness Siame a Cassava trader and beneficiary testified to the benefits stating that company has created a market for cassava which has prompted her to con-tinue cultivating cassava. “In a single line of close to 300 meters long, I am able to har-vest 26 by 50 kilogram bags of cassava and able to raise about six thousand kwacha,” she said.She confirmed that her family is spared from hunger as she is able to buy other needed food stuff and manage other basic needs from the sales of cassava.

Cassava market a sleeping a giant

From page 7

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engage with lead farmers, the farmers are able to replicate what they learn onto their main fields and also teach their follower farmers,” he said.Beneficiary farmers talked to seem to have embraced the farmer field school approach.Edward Zulu, 69, of Kalito village in Chief Kalindawalo’s chiefdom in Petauke district, is a lead farmer based in South Nyam-phande Agricultural Camp.Having joined Tiphunzire farmer field school in 2018, Zulu has since recruited 10 follower farm-ers that he also trains in climate smart agriculture approaches.Zulu says the farmer field school extension methodology is a good initiative because it strengthens teamwork and problem-solving skills of farmers and also creates awareness of the importance and role of collective action.

Another lead farmer, Dingisway-oJere of Sanjika agricultural camp in Chipata district, says group learning has enhanced farmer to farmer interaction and also helps them to learn by doing.“It’s not the first time that I have participated in climate smart agriculture programmes but one thing I appreciate about ZIFLP, is its use of the farmer field school methodology which encourages farmers to interact and also learn by doing,” he said.On the other hand, Dailesi Mwanza of Hofmeyr agricultural camp in Nyimba district hopes that the FFS extension method-ology will be sustained beyond the project since it empowers farmers in decision making and gender equality, and also provides systematic assessment of different CSA technologies.“We are learning a lot of climate smart agricultural technologies that can help enhance the fertility

Fro page 9

Farmer field schools promoting climate smart agricultureof soils, increase food and nutri-tion security of rural households, and increase our incomes. This approach should be sustained beyond the project cycle as we are confident it will reduce poverty levels of rural households,” she said. The farmer field school extension methodology certainly stimulates farmers to become facilitators of their own research and learning. It is important therefore, that there be effective participation of farm-ers in farmer field schools.This will enhance development of appropriate skills in farmers thus, necessitating formation of enlightened farmers that facilitate effective dissemination of climate smart agricultural information to the wider farming community in Eastern Province, and ensure increased agricultural produc-tion and sustained regional food security.

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APPRECIATING THE BEEKEEPINFG VALUE CHAIN

In order to realize optimal results from beekeep-ing, all components of the beekeeping value chain must be harnessed,

nurtured, enhanced, developed and appreciated. Components of this value chain include all those aspects, things, activities and processes which contribute or are incidental to the produc-tion of the final bee-product. This article will give abrief elabora-tion on the roles and significance of some components in the beekeeping value chain. It is only by having a good understanding and appreciation of the various components that the various players in the beekeeping and associated sectors can optimally perform their respective roles and responsibilities.Let the honeybee be the starting point and the first component of the value chain. The hon-eybee gathers raw materials from several sources which are ultimately converted into finished bee products such as

honey, beeswax and several other derived products. Where there are no bees, there cannot be bee products. Hence, bees are critical in the value chain and they need to be nurtured and protected if productivity is to be enhanced and optimised. It is essential to ensure that bee populations are boosted through measures which enhance their reproduction and survival. Meas-ures such as conserving natural vegetation and planting flowering plants for their nectar and pollen, conserving their natural habitat, allowing natural swarming, and several other simple measures can go a long way in maintaining and boosting bee populations. On the other hand, practices which decimate bee populations should be avoided or done away with. Practices such as injudicious and indiscriminate use of pesticides and other toxic chemicals in bee forage areas, reckless and inconsiderate honey harvesting methods, and large scale mono-cropping end up dwindling bee

populations and should be done away with.The second component of the beekeeping value chain is the environment. This constitutes their habitat –where bees live as well as where they get their bee pasture. An important part of this is the vegetation. Bees depend on flowering plants for their sur-vival, just like flowering plants depend on bees for survival through plant procreation which is achieved through pollination, an activity aided by bees. Nectar and pollen producing plants should be conserved because where there is no bee forage, there will be no bee production. Planting of flowering plants should be encouraged while indiscriminate deforestation should be avoided. Also, use of or dumping of toxic substances should be avoided because they end up contaminating the envi-ronment with such contamination ending up in final bee products. Well safeguarded environments will yield organic products in bountiful quantities, and that means increased productivity and good prices, resulting in more money in your pockets.Let’s look at the beekeeper now as another component of the value chain. Yes, it is said that bees do not need man but man needs bees, however, man plays an important role in making available bee products to the market and ultimate consumer. In order for the beekeeper to successfully produce, they need to be equipped with basic understanding about the craft of beekeeping and they need to pos-sess basic essential production equipment. Without bee handling equipment such as bee smok-ers and bee protective clothing, together with product handling equipment like honey buckets honey strainers, etc. productivity-cannot be optimal.Suppliers of beekeeping equip-

ment are another essential component of the value chain. Apiary hardware such as hives, bee handling equipment such as smokers and bee PPE, product storage and processing equip-ment such as honey and wax extractors, honey presses, buck-ets and honey tanks, packaging material and other associated accessories are vital requirements for success in beekeeping and suppliers of these are invalu-able to beekeeping. It is better to procure from specialised suppli-ers in most cases rather than go the D.I.Y way especially in hive construction. There is underlying technology behind the dimen-sions and angles and spacing’s etc. which you may not know but which specialist manufacturers appreciate, no wonder their hives always deliver best results.Another component are providers of beekeeping training and exten-sion services. In order to succeed you need to have basic under-standing about beekeeping and because, just like any other craft, beekeeping is perfected through practice, extension services are essential to offer guidance and advice to beekeepers as they gather experience.Honey processors and packers, providers of distribution and

marketing services, providers of financial services, transport-ers and providers of warehous-ing services are yet another component. They provide very important support services which ensure that final products are brought to the consumer timely and efficiently.In conclusion, it is the duty and responsibility of all players and all of us to contribute tothe devel-opment of beekeeping. It is only when every single component and aspect of the value chain per-forms to its maximum efficiency and effectiveness that optimal results can be obtained. Enjoy your beekeeping in this new great year where beekeeping is poised to hit records highs.

Zambia from emerging pests by implementing various activities such as phytosanitary inspections on imports and exports, pest’s di-agnostics, pest’s surveillance, Pest Risk Analysis(PRA) and seed crop inspections among others.

He has called on all stakeholders to come on board and participate in the activities that have been outlined and he has requested the steering committee that has been selected to cooperate and make the International Year of Plant Health a success.And speaking on behalf of the stakeholders, head of Technical and Commercial for Plant Health Agri Limited, Eric Kalima says the proclamation of 2020 being the International Year of Plant Health is quite timely when the world needs more production of food to be food secure.Mr.Kalimasaid the Food and Agri-cultural Organization (FAO) esti-mates that agricultural production must rise by about 60% in the year 2050 in order to feed a large popu-lation, hence the need for everyone to do their role in preventing the spread of plant pests and diseases to minimize food losses. He advised people to pay attention to the health of plants to achieve increased productivity and remain food secure.“Most people think that Plants grow on their own without tender care, but there is a lot more that needs to be done if we are to pre-

serve plants and be able to produce what we want to feed the masses”, Kalima said.While, Plant Health Inspector, Martin Siazemo manning the two border posts of Kazungula and Livingstone highlighted that the general public should be aware of the risks involved in bringing plants and plant products which-may have pests and diseases into the country. Mr. Siazemo said people should avoid ordering plants and plant products through channels such as e-commerce and postal services that can easily bypass regular phytosanitary controls.He said Plant Quarantine and Phytosanitary Service (PQPS) is there to facilitate safe trade hence the need for all engaged in trade to access the services offered by the organization in order to protect our country from exotic plant pests. He has further advised farmers to prevent the spread of pests by using onlycertified and pest-free-propagative materials and regularly monitoring and reporting the oc-currence of pests ontheir farms. “They should adopt environmen-tally friendly pest management practices – including those basedon biological approaches that do not kill pollinators, and beneficial in-sects and organisms”, Mr. Siazemo said.Indeed,Plant pests and diseases damage crops and reduce the avail-ability of food and increase its cost. Sustaining plant health protects the environment and supports the ef-forts of ending hunger and poverty.

Zambia to Commemorate In-ternational Year of Plant Health (IYPH) 2020From page 8

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Mr Mumba Ai A practising beekeeper and Director of Training at Al-Apis Concepts Ltd

This information is brought to you in the community service of Al – Apis Concepts Ltd.

For your questions and clarifica-tions from this feature, contact the author on 0967 419 551/0954 186 973. Email: apisconcepts@gmail.com. For all your beekeep-ing requirements contact Al-Apis Concepts Ltd. Phone: +260 966 474757

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Cashew Nut Implementation Project Elates FarmersBy Sally Mulambya

Farmers have com-mended government’s decision to implement the US$ 55.4 million cashew nut project in

Western Province, siting that this is an indication of government’s commitment towards prioritizing and developing the agriculture sector.Speaking during the launch of the cashew nut planting exercise at Simulumbe research station in Mongu President Edgar Lungu said that cashew nut production was one of the effective meas-ures for supporting alternative

livelihoods in the wake of climate change and government will not rest until production of cashew nuts in the province is achieved. The head of state stated that gov-ernment had invested US$55.4 million in western province to promote cashew nut production through the cashew nut infra-structure development program and hopes that it becomes a global player in the industry.He added that climate change has had drastic effects on the western province resulting in changes in weather patterns making it dif-ficult for farmers to produce high maize yields to sustain them.“I am hopeful that with the right

mindset people will take part in such initiatives, because it is my desire that western province becomes wealthy, because at the moment production if far from impressive and I know we can do better,” he said.He expressed confidence that cashew nut production will transform the lives of many farmers in the country because of its’ tolerance to adverse weather conditions and high value and added that government intends to plant 6 million tress of cashew nut under the same project. The president further went on to say that global projections indi-

cated that cashew nut production will be valued at US$10 billion by the year 2025However, speaking in an interview Brian Chisambwe a Cashew nut farmer has chal-lenged government to ensure that the project or money realized from the investment benefits the people of Western Province to emancipate them from poverty. “It is good that the government is investing in agriculture especial-ly in this part of the country be-cause our neighboring countries are doing far much better in the industry we just hope to see the results of this investment, if you take for instance, Mozambique came to Zambia to learn the trade but they are doing way better in terms of production,” he added.The project which was launched in 2015 is funded by the African Development Bank in partner-ship with the Zambian govern-ment.

Chilanga Vaccinates Cattle against Foot and Mouth Dis-ease (FMD)

By Dorcas Kabuya

Cattle populations are vulnerable to the deadly and highly contagious Foot and Mouth Disease

(FMD), and efforts to prepare for a potential outbreak are being strengthened through the department of veterinary services in the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock. FMD is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cattle, sheep, goats, and other cloven hoofed animals. Signs of the disease may include depressed animals, mouth sores accompanied by a reluctance to eat and lameness.

Due to its central location and proximity to the markets, Chilanga District, is at high risk of recording outbreaks of FMD.This is owing to the fact that Chilanga is a transit district for some farmers of Southern and Central Provinces,which have been hot spots of the disease, due to illegally ferrying their animals for sale in Lusaka.It goes to attest that cattle rearing is more than just a livelihood; it is a source of income for many families in Zambia and any po-tential outbreak could threatenthe livestock sector and affect the lives of poor people who depend on them. Chilanga District Veterinary Of-ficer, Christine Inambao, noted

that the depart-ment was elated that government had stepped in to take preventive measures by vac-cinating cattle of all categories of farm-ers from Namayani, Mundengwa and Kasupe, areas which border with Chibombo district against FMD.Dr. Inambao disclosed that this was the first time cattle were being vaccinated in the district to prevent any incidences of the disease, a move that farmers had warmly received and appreciated. “As a department we are targeting to vaccinate about 2, 500 cattle against FMD in areas which are at risk due to some illegal cattle trading from areas which are hot spots,” she added.Dr. Inambao cau-tioned farmers to observe bio-

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