A farmers Association in Samfya in Luapula Province has expressed happiness with the set maize floor price of K45 000 (approximately US$13)by the Food Reserve Agency.
Samfya Farmers Association says its members are happy with the price.
Association Treasurer Jestus Mwenya said in Samfya that the new selling price for maize had cheered farmers.
He said it had always been the farmers outcry for the selling price of maize to be raised to at least k40 000 and above.
Mr Mwenya said the development was an indication that FRA had listened to farmers’ demands.
FRA chairperson Costain Chilala recently announced the new maize price for this maize marketing season.
Previously, farmers were selling a 50 kg bag of to FRA at K38,000 but will now sell the commodity at K45,000 for the same quantity.
Meanwhile,Samfya Farmers Association has bemoaned the continued poor organisation of the district agricultural shows.
Mr Mwenya said there had been no improvement in the way the Show Society was organised adding that the organising committee leadership failed to produce financial reports for fund raised during respective events.
He disclosed that farmers have since constituted a committee to lobby for change of leadership in the show organising committee.
He said one of the lapses identified in the committee was lack of representation from farmers and other stakeholder groups.
Mr Mwenya noted that it was imperative that farmers and other strategic partners sat on the committee.
Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has encouraged farmers in the country to view the soaring food prices as an opportunity to expand agriculture through the utilization of farm management skills.
FAO Country Representative Noureddin Mona said farm management skills are a great asset to small scale farmers and urged government to ensure that the farm management section under the department of agriculture is fully activated, functional and supported.
Dr. Mona said this during the close of a stakeholders meeting on capacity building in farm management for extension workers in Lusaka .
He said there is need for government to scale up the capacity building programme to the rest of the country so that all extension officers benefit.
Dr. Mona however reiterated FAO’s commitment as a stakeholder to the development of a robust agricultural sector through various programmes that include technical support programmes.
He said his organisation will continue to work with government to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, Fifth National Development Plan and the Vision 2030 by providing technical assistance in the agricultural sector.
And FAO Senior officer for enterprise development and agricultural management David Kahan said extension services have to be reoriented and made more efficient to focus on the market and production.
Dr. Kahan said in an interview that farmers need extension services for them to be aware of climate change effects to avoid crop losses due to variations in agricultural systems.
He said all farmers need to be furnished with appropriate data to be better organized in planning their cropping pattern.
He noted that extension officers should educate farmers on the need to diversify into other crops that are drought resistant or not affected by extreme weather conditions.
when farmers express happiness about selling prices, then you know that the country is fast moving forward. But I would like to state that we can still give farmers a better price if some of there products is to be exported because of the high food prices on the global market. We should allow farmers to sell their produce at the real economic value. It is unfair to push the producer price so low just because we want to protect the urban consumer thereby relegating the agric sector to stone age technology of cultivating due to lack of profit. Our villagers should be able to buy tractors after farming for say 5 yrs. The current situation is that they use a hoe from day one until they die!
First and foremost, congratulations LT for your editorial on this sleeping beauty (or Zambia’s tourist diamond), Samfya. Congrats again for the image (maize farm) that accompanied your editorial. It shows that you read and listened to my complaint-image supplements.
Coming to the issue, if anyone has travelled using Tuta road or via Pedicle to Luapula Province towns and even extending your journey through Luwingu to the Northern Province you would agree with me that conducting/holding Agriculture Shows in those towns was ever going to be unsuccessful. This is because theres little or no farming at all in those ultra-fertile lands. Almost 100% of the land (very fertile land) is unfarmed…
#2 I toured the whole Luapula and the place is amazing to say the least. Samfya itself with the beaches on the Bangweulu. But I agree I went there in August when farmers are supposed to hold agriculture shows and there was no crop whatsoever. Back to the subject at hand, this is good, the only downside is that FRA will not buy all the crop, so my guess is less that 50% farmers will benefit from these before unscrupulous businessmen move in with 30,000 kwacha.
…Addition to the fertile land this part of Zambia receives most of the rainfall and has and is criss-crossed by rivers and is the seat of giagantic lakes. Again this part of Zambia is entirely a tourist attraction. Endowed with all these people of Luapula and Northern Provinces are so lazy even up to this time am sure they are being fed by the southern parts of Zambia. My question is. How are you pipo going to feed the tourists who will, sooner than later, start flocking to your towns such as Samfya, Mense, to mention but a few? I am appealing to you to wake up. The Northern part of Zambia could feed the world if people there were hard working-in terms of farming. Or at least you could…
…be feeding equally lazy Zaire (who jam whole night and sleep whole day) to earn real money-foreign exchange. You have abused fishing to the point of making certain types of fishes extinct. Not to blame you entirely. The govts of the day have a share of blame, too. They have neglected this part Zambia big time they only use the people for winning elections. Every politician knows how fertile this land is. It can produce any crop and animal in the world. Now that there is global sturvation and industrialized countries have come to agree to import farm products from third world countries, its high time the govt got involved in quickly promoting real farming in the northern part of Zambia…
…The govt must encourage whoever (especially Zambian citizen) wants to set up business(es) in those rural towns by offering real incentives such as low income tax, 5year tax holiday, free importation of any business (and household) inputs (machinery, tools, materials, etc), affordable business loans,etc. The GRZ should also create a knowledge base where prospective investors would acquire information on anything in those ares.
…The bennefits of industrializing these rural areas are abound: Increased and diversified untraditional export, trigger mfood processing industries, depopulation of big towns, infrastructure improvement, attract more investments (mining, etc), citizen impowerment, self reliant of rural areas, improved town structures, more govt revenue, more schools and hospitals, respect for these towns from being used only for votes, etc, etc. The other challenge is for the govt to tarr Pedicle road soonest and not for the people to wait for another decade. The bridge has been constructed. Well and good. But thats not enough without a proper (pedicle)road. Whoever has used this road will aggree with me..
…that even with a bridge on Luapula river, it is still a big challenge to risk your vehicle (let alone life) on Pedicle road with this soaring vehicle parts and gas prices.
People of Luapula/Northern provinces, I also challenge to feed the entire nation starting from next season. You have the land, water, manpower and markets at home and abroad. THANKS for your time.
New Passports next month
The Issuance of new passports is expected to start next month.
Home Affairs Permanent Secretary, Susan Sikaneta said the government has already put into place necessary logistics such as equipment for the entire process which kick start’s in July.
She told ZNBC news that training and recruitment of staff who will mann the new office is expected to start this month end.
The Home Affairs Permanent Secretary noted that Zambia decided to join the international community by bringing in a new passport with sophisticated features that cannot be forged.
That’s part of the problem we have in Zambia, the whole of Luapuala and Northern Provinces do not produce enough to feed themselves! At whose expense? Thats pathetic. Guess who feeds all those hungry mouths. BTW the two provinces make up a large and significant portion of the Population.It is high time the people woke up and started to feed themselves!
I too took a drive there not long ago thru tuta and was surprised to find how beautiful, how fertile the land is, how vast and how plentious the waters are but how hungry and lazy the people are,how malnourished they seem to be. Shocking! I could not believe it given that the loudest mouths are from their. How pathetic indeed. Some Ngoni must go there with a sjambok and knobkerry and kick some asses!
Settle a few commercial farmers from Zim in these areas and watch the transformation. let us call all the farmers from there and give them land……………..we have land to waste.
Settle some Ngonis and Tongas there and you will see what will happen. These guys are a challenge to these pathetic nitwits.
i really appreciate and remember all what you people have written above,everything is true.But am shocked to realise that most things said have been reseached by you learned collegues and once announced by people like mpundu mwape ,many years ago,when i was in pr.sch.even at this stage we are struggling and still talking about same things.(peter#6)above.its a pity even politicians like prof lungwa….can not reason.all my blame is on cheap politicking.putting control over agric… sports,education…hope by the time am back home we would have moved foward.i was a baby listening to the same staff!!??
#12 & 13 i do sence extreme tribalism from you. i think you will find that the 2 provinces have learned people. tongas are simple farmers (primitive and narrow minded). just because you have learned how to use a pc does not mean you have to start insulting people. find better thing to unleash your anger on. dont call people nitwits, especially when you dont understand what it means.
LT ADMIT TWAPAPATA REMOVE SOME OF THESE STUPID TRIBALISTIC COMMENTS FROM the blog.
I STILL ASK THIS QUESTION WHY IS IT THAT TONGAS ARE SO TRIBALISTIC? IM SICK OF IT.
The so called equal distribution of tax income at national level should be looked at again. As of the current situation much of the money is beng spent on feeding unproductive sector of the country. No matter how much the econimic growth might seem to be, it is cancelled by this so called equal distribution. He who does not work must not eat the Bible says other wise will always remain in inertia.
Peter!
Though real capitalist would not agree with you. I also think govt has a role to play. For example, govt can open up the area by putting up proper roads to the area.
Angry #15. the simple answer to your post is because bembas are so stupid and tribalistic. they think they know everything. you will continue being insulted because of your self centredness and beacuse of people like you Angry monkey eater.
# So are you defending thier laziness? It just happens that what has been said of them is true. The evidence is there for all to see. I would rather you talked about what should be done to change their atitude towards work the issue of tribalism only comes in in the sence that it is clearly them and not the other. If amongst your children you are able to indentify those that are lazy and you choose to chide the culprits, thats not fovouratism (tribalism). You still are a family with identifiable lazy children amongst them.
#15. do not start something you will regret. leave the Tongas alone as the topic under discussion is different from the Tongas. why do you hve to twist each topic to suit your narrow tribal agendas. you should know that whether you like it or not Tongas will always be a factor in Zambian politics. i know it may irritate you and your fellow tribalists but face the truth and learn to co exist with tongas. reminder please do not call Tongas names as your tribe has many unpleasant names which may irritae others if we are to hit back. so maintain your cool and do not awake sleeping dogs.
I am a Bemba but i somehow agreethat our pipo in these areas are pretty lazy.
The lands there very fertile and thers plenty of water but what do you find? Pipo looking so drunk in the early hours of the day. The land is barely touched. I am sure these lands can be propoerly utilised for domestic purposes before we start blamin ghe government to put in place measures that would enable industrialised commercial farming!
the thing that annoys me is that you BAFOONS GENERALISE THAT ALL BEMBAS ARE THIS AND THAT. ITS STUPID. I WAS IN ZAMBIA FOR A YEAR AND I HAD TO DEAL WITH AN IGNORANT TONGA COUPLE. THERE ARE A LOT OF WELL TO DO BEMBA PEOPLE. NOT EVERY TONGA IS HARDWORKING. YOU GUYS ARE JUST PATHETIC. AND IF #19 AND 20 READ THE POSTS ABOVE YOU WILL SEE WHY I PUT THAT POST. YOUR NARROW MINDEDNESS WILL JUST DESTROY YOU. ASK WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT COUPLE. THEY ARE SOOO ASHAMED.
YOU GUYS ARE THE BNP OF ZAMBIA PATHETIC, IGNORANT, EDUCATED FOOLS AND NARROW MINDED.
Angry. your language and presentation on this forum shows that you are a typical villager who has been given some opportunity to travel and work abroad as a domestic and then all hell breaks loose. you start insulting people anyhow. let me put it straight. you are against generalisations but check your posting. if you had mentioned about this “ignorant Tonga couple” am sure you would not have received this backlash. now you are ducking the accusation and exposing your foolishness at the same time. lets avoid generl statements. in every society there are bad and good people, ignorant and clever people etc. i beleive this is what provides a balance to society.
#22 You where in Zambia for one year!!!! And you dare state that! Is that the only time you’ve been to Zambia. I guess then I can excuse you for you have not seen how beautiful and fertile Luapula and Northern province are. Where were you for that short stint. Southern province?. Oh my dear thats farrr from Northern or Luapula Province.
terms like bafoons or other unknown terms only serve one purpose to increase the hatred between the two tribes while you are in the comfort of your servants quarters in illinois. so refrain from inciting hatred as whatever would happen would coz you to to be guilty for the rest of your life. kindly leave this site as it is not suitable for you. you are a danger to the country and to society. i would rather next time you dont even come to Zambia but continue leaving your exagerated lifestyle.
The devil is in the detail. Chilala (the farmer) who announced the floor price must be hiding something.
25. the bemba’s are lazy? OK. an idle mind is a devil’s workshop. may be that is why they are thieves
Thina bantu basenguni sihlonipa labo abasebenzela ukwakha nokuthuthukisa izwe lethu.
Bala ngombes stop showing us how shallow minded you are.I can’t just imagine that all these years after idepedence you men can still be so THICK.Even someone calling himself a prof.What a shame !Your mothers should have not pushed you out.YOU ARE ALL A WASTE OF SPACE.
Learn to see beyond colour,race,creed or so called ANCIENT TRIBES.There is no such a thing as one tribe being better than another whether they are slow or stingy or stupid.
Whenever someone asks me what tribe I am here in the UK I always say that I am Zambian Period.Why?Because that’s the way I see myself as I carry our beautiful flag.
Fake prof,Anonymous and Moderate-get a life or we’ll give a brain transplant.
I dont agree with bloggers calling Luapula people lazy. Believe it or not these people feed themselves in their own way. They do not just produce surplus for sale. Govt relief food is always being distributed in the so called farming provinces and not Luapula. why?
Wow! guys slow down, my God how has this turned into a tonga, bemba, ngoni thing now? This is sickening especially that I consider you guys to be a mark above a commoner who would use tribe for personal gain, just stop please. Mwana Mubotu the man/woman is ANGRY, the name says it all, just leave him/her alone, he/she has issues to deal with regarding his intellect, please for the sake of the happy farmers in samfya let us try to remain as civil as we possibly can be, please. Moderate, Anonymous leave the ANGRY blogger alone you are nice people who I know have more to contribute to this blog than take on an ANGRY man/woman.
you kabova just keep your stinking mouth shut.
hola sounds like a hollow to me and thats what you are. would you kindly refrain from name calling and take the wise counsel of Mr Mwiinga.
Thina bantu basenguni sihlonipa labo abasebenzela ukwakha nokuthuthukisa izwe lethu.Zambia ingeyabo bonke abahlala kuyo, sibumbene nakuba singafani.
(We the Nguni people respect those who have worked to build and develop our country. Zambia belongs to all who live in it, united in our diversity). Phambili!
#29 you are not making the situation any better, bane let us stick to Maize please please please. I fear for my children who are Bemba/Tonga if this is the way we are going as a country. Anyhow, the luapula people LPM was the first to joke (according to Mwansa Mbulakulima) that they are lazy, they could not utilise the water resources availble to grow crops. But not everyone can be a farmer, a lazy man does not fish on lake mweru the whole night, a lazy man does not start off from Kawambwa all the way to copperbelt to go and sell Kapenta, I think HE was out of context even if this was said as a joke. I personally think each of the people of Zambia have their own strengths and weaknesses.
33 The truth hurts.It’s people like you who start wars if not stopped.Think of the genocide in Rwanda or the war in Darfur.Hitler hated the Jews and you know what happened.
Your name really sound like Mobutu.Any relationship?
Mwiinga could you be Mwiinga Cheelo United Nations Lusaka?
Right on Mpopo, next time watch out we are talking Luapula farmers here.
hola hola. read my name correctly. am glad your anger is melting. we could finally see eye to eye and possibly share a cold one if at all you are in town (Lusaka). peace be upon your angry soul.
mwana mubotu dont assume things you will embarass your self. im not in the US yet u assumed so. people dont just travel to America you know. and im not a domestic either. GOD HAS BLESSED AND ITS PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO BRING TROUBLE BY GENERALISING THATS ALL I WAS SAYING. STOP BEING SO SHALLOW. BY THE WAY IM A YOUNG WOMAN WHO WAS VERY DISSAPIONTED TO VISIT MY HOMELAND AND BE TREATED THE WAY I WAS BECAUSE MY PARENTS ARE BEMBA. YOU ARE NOT SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR YOUNG ZAMBIANS. my typing has nothing to do with my skills. Im very good at what I do. Stick to your stuff. and Mr MWIINGA WITH ALL DUE RESPECT YOUR COMMENT IS A BIT ONE SIDED. IF YOU KNOW THE ‘GOOD CHILD’ TEACH HIM NOT TO BE SHALLOW
i am canadian lived in Zambia for a very long time………..what has happened to ‘one Zambia one Nation’?
39 Thank you for your offer.Will consider that.
Yes I get angry when people cannot see beyond race or tribe.Firstly we are ALL HUMAN beings regardless of where we come from.If one province is doing well then we all benefit from that and for the ones struggling we give a helping hand.Who would ‘ve thought that the North Western Province would become a Mining Giant to benefit all?
We have come to far as a country in gettig united and so any hint of division should never be condoned by any Patriotic Zambian.REMBEMBER WHEN YOU MAGNIFY A DIFFERENCE IN ANY SITUATION YOU CREATE DIVISIONS.
#40, my apologies if I sounded one sided, my intervention was just trying to bring in a civil dimension to the debate. Words like bafoon, nitwit I believe have no place on this blog. Anyhow my apologies for sounding one sided.
#42 well said, as a matter if fact some people were making fun of the kaonde’s, and that is where everybody is now running. Please temper iyo, take care of it, when you melt down, your contributions make a lot of sense, but your temper sometimes gets in the way.
You know, if all of you guys had to send emails to ZDA telling them about giving incentives to local investors and Zambians in the diaspora, im pretty sure something can be done.
They would know that you’re concerned and want to invest.
Instead of insulting each other, lets try that.
And Peter, i think most of the incentives you talked about have already been implemented. Infrastructure is probably the only thing that needs to be tackled.
www . zda . org . zm / zda / Agriculture . aspx (remove spaces)
One Zambia One nation!
#45 Crazy_Zambian, I really appreciate your direction to the ZDA website. I used to reach ZDA via Zambia Privatization Agency and what I used to get was a scraffy website with photocopied A4 document(s) on the site. Although, some of the ZDA web pages are under construction, it is an impressively, neat website with more meaningful info especially on agriculture which is one of the few ventures I am planning for. Once, again I realy appreciate and Thanks.
Mwinga, I salute you for being a gentleman and so civilised that youve apologised to someone who didnt like your comment.I like your argument though.
Its true Zambia is for Zambians.Kaunda was a better president than chiluba.These tribal arguments were not there before Chiluba.Saying that i dont care whether someone is bemba,nyanja ngoni, kaonde, lamba etc, etc as long as he or she has got sense and we can get along.It doesnt matter who leads the nation as long as he pr she has the brain and ability to do so.look at america and barak Obama
Brother and Sister Zambians,
Keep on fighting. As you insult each other and run abroad to clean the Muzugu houses and asses the Chinese, Indians, Arabs and Europeans will take over your house and your village and our country
Colonialism is not dead. It has been reborn with us Africans welcoming instead of opposing our new Masters.
You Bembas, Tonga, Lozi et al ,with all of the so called Education you have, you should be developing your tribe, your village, your town and your country instaed of insulting each other from the comfort of self imposed exile. The enemy of Zambia and Africa loves to seen us fight.
All of you should focus your energy towards developing our country, our villages, our tribes and not on insulting each other.
Long live Zambia,
Long live Africa
Zambians
You should use this technology to study what the rest of the world is doing. Use the computer to research agriculture, science, and technolgy. This is what the Chinese, Indians, et al is doing. They are planing while we are using modern technology to insult and demean each other. If you love and respect your tribe, and nation them work towards developing them.
If you beleive that the Bembas, lozis, Tongas, et al is the best then show it to the world. If you beleive that your tribe is the best them develop it to compete with the rest of the world. If not then shut your month and be quite.
Let those who are working for the development of Zambia and Africa get to work without stupid people embarrassing and betraying us to the world.
Long live Zambia
long live Africa
Wow those prices are much more affordable. Also does it also come with maintainance or do you have to contact your local flooring company?