ZNFU PRESS STATEMENT ON THE SWAPPING OF THE TWO MINISTERS; AGRICULTURE & LIVESTOCK AND COMMERCE, TRADE AND INDUSTRY
The Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) has received with utmost anxiety and high expectation the transfer of Hon. Robert Sichinga from Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
Hon. Sichinga comes to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock at the time when the agriculture sector is facing a lot of challenges that need to be tackled head on and with immense boldness and energy. The Union and the farming community expect that the minister will hit the ground running in addressing any number of serious challenges that have remained unresolved, namely but not limited to:
1) The management and handling of the Farm Input Support Program (FISP), which can be described as disastrous in the current agricultural season. To date, distribution of inputs is still going on and a number of our farmers haven’t yet received their inputs. This situation is unacceptable and should never repeat itself. The Minister will need to dedicate his energy and time and bring sanity in the manner the FISP is being managed and implemented.
2) The continued Importation of cheap subsidised agricultural commodities such as dairy, pork and poultry products, wheat and wheat products etc, must be guarded against at all times. The propensity by some officials in the ministry to carelessly issue import permits of subsidised agricultural products from other countries has potential not only to cripple the agriculture sector but also wipe out all local jobs in the Zambian agricultural industry. Currently, there is a strong push from certain players in the industry to import powdered milk to be reconstituted as fresh milk under the pretext of testing the Zambian market while promising to create jobs. As a country we have been on this road before and this request must not be turned down. Additionally, despite our opposition, pork products i.e. sausages have continued to be imported onto the Zambian markets, which scenario has caused low uptake of pigs by processors from our poor small scale farmers.
3) Maize and wheat bran exports
In the previous dry season, the farming community witnessed with dismay, the ministry allowing the export of Zambian bran to countries in the region at a critical time when the Zambian livestock farmers needed the commodity most. Our livestock farmers were sacrificed as millers profiteered from the export earnings. The Union hopes that a lesson was learnt and that our new Minister will carefully weigh the benefits and put the Zambian farmers first.
4) Agricultural Markets;
The ZNFU wishes to earnestly implore our new Minister to ensure that practical steps are taken now and way in advance in preparing for this year’s marketing season. As a Union we do not want to see a scenario where our small scale farmers continue spending nights in the cold waiting to be paid by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) or stranded because there is nowhere to sell their produce. We believe time is now to end the perennial problems of agricultural marketing in Zambia.
As a Union we offer ourselves for any consultations the Minister may require while discharging his duties as the Minister.
The ZNFU would like to thank Hon. Chenda for the contribution he made to the agriculture sector during his tour of duty as our minister of Agriculture and Livestock. We wish him well in his new position.
Jervis Zimba
PRESIDENT
well i hope the minister hears your cry……and works hand in hand with the farmers union
though i believe having a 2nd PS would have been more benefical than having 3 deputy ministers
jervis zimba politicians dont do the work its the civil servants
ZIMbA for the first time you have clear loud cry that makes sense. imagine the double standards of Zambeef they fix the price of pork and also control the price of feed!(Novatek). Welcome to Zambia! the real africa
Still reshuffling dog-eared playing cards… really laughable…Bob was an utter joke at commerce expecting him to perform miracles in Agriculture is asking too much from him!!
So now we know that Harvard Business school is useless. Because Bob brags about how he is a graduate of Harvard Business School but demonstrates little or no understanding of business at all. Bob completely failed at Commerce and Industry. He was riding on the results of the policies implemented by the MMD government. If Ba Kateka thinks Bob can organize the agriculture sector in this country he is in for a rude shock..
Bob sichinga has been transfered already? before he would start his fraud investigation at CEEC?(thats why people believe the watchdog)… I tell you there is some seriously wrong with Sata and the medicine from india is not helping him…. and those ghosts from his many sagomas are confusing him to the worst level… zambia need divine help i tell you.
It seems the ministry has a lot of problems. Yet it has more than two deputy ministers.Does it mean the deputy minister are passengers.
The Peoples Defender
Indeed the man does not know what even a pledge is…17 months and non of his pledges from his investors have come to fruition!!
Remember the columns he used to write in The Post when he was in opposition about Windfall tax? How I feel for the Permanent Secretaries who have to put up with such figure heads.
‘Hit the ground running’ is that a play on the word ‘Chenda’?
ZAMBIANS ARE DOCILE, EASILY MANUPULATED, HOW DID U GUYS VOTE FOR SATACHIKARA NYONGO?
You are very corrupt. All you can utter are insults. Your grew up disobeying the wise advice of those who were senior to you. Now you have ended up like this. God can still help you. I am not joking, but I mean it.
Bob at at Agriculture? Should we expect District Agricultural Clusters?
I wonder what is so difficult in listening to, and implementing these common sense suggestions from the Farmers Union. There is no rocket science here Honourable Sichinga. I trust that the Farmers Union will not raise these again as they will become history. Wishing you great success Honourable