Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister, Ben Kapita has urged the Zambia National Farmers (ZNFU) to work towards commercializing the majority of small and medium scale farmers.
Mr. Kapita said the union should assist farmers to take farming as a business which
has costs and losses.
He was speaking today during the official opening of the new head office complex for
the ZNFU.
He said the union should provide equitable services to small, medium and large scale
farmers.
“All must feel proud to belong to the Zambia National Farmers Union. This will
prevent fragmentation in the farmers’ representation and lobby,” he said.
Mr. Kapita observed that the union has a tendency of neglecting small scale farmers
and other members when it was getting more money from the donors.
He said respect for old members of the union would make them remain loyal and
continue to value and support the union. ÂÂ
And the minister has congratulated the union for having built a permanent block of
offices, since it was established in 1905.
The ZNFU office, whose construction was financed by the governments of Norway and
Netherlands, was today officially opened by President Levy Mwanawasa.
Mr. Mwanawasa also urged the union executive to use the new offices to advance the
agriculture industry in the country.
