The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) says Zambia is food secure. FRA Executive Director Chola Kafwabulula says the country has had approximately 60 thousand metric tonnes of maize before the maize purchasing season that began on June 29, 2020.
Mr. Kafwabulula has also told ZNBC news in Lusaka that government will in the next few days release another one billion Kwacha for the current maize purchasing season.
Two point two billion kwacha has been budgeted for maize purchase this season.
Government has already released one billion Kwacha for the exercise, resulting into prompt payment of farmers.
Mr. Kafwabulula says farmers who supplied maize to the FRA few days ago have already received their payments.
Meanwhile the Zambia National Farmers Union -ZNFU has praised the FRA following its decision to pay maize suppliers promptly.
ZNFU Spokesperson Calvin Kaleyi says the move will empower farmers with capital for the next production activities.
And Lusaka’s Twikatane Farm Products Managing Director Rudolf Faerber has also welcomed the decision by FRA to effect prompt payments to maize suppliers.
The gods gave lungu some breathing space with good rains. Everything depended on a good harvest.
Everything else is fuc.ked up.
That may well be true but hw financially secure are the people who grow it? Wht support is there to ensure that their long-term future is secure?
Your gods did, but our God gave us an harvest to shame you
How many times have we heard this?
Shame on you mr tarino, you said wayback that people were going to die of hunger but alas !
You nearly killed Tongas in Southern province by denying them the maize. They grew that same maize and you failed to sell it back to them when drought hit them. When is the price of mealie meal coming down?