The Zambian agricultural sector rests on the shoulders of an estimated 1.6 million smallholder farmers. It is envisaged that graduating them into commercial farming will create the much-needed impetus to dent high levels of poverty and unemployment. Nearly 3 decades after the initiation of agricultural market reforms in sub-Saharan Africa,…
Farmers borrow money to improve and maintain farm infrastructure, to upgrade equipment, to finance the production of the coming season’s crop, to buy in animals or to buy more land. Briefly put, they use borrowed money for recapitalisation, production and expansion. The banks will lend farmers between 60% and 80%…
His Royal Highness Chief Liteta of the Lenje speaking people issued out over 160 'land certificates', otherwise known as ParcelCerts, as demonstration of his commitment to economically empower his subjects. This article was written by Pamela Hamasaka Speaking during the signing ceremony held in Chibombo District on Friday 24th November…
Zambian Minister of Agriculture Dora Siliya said K1.7 billion will be released next week for the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), which this year runs on a full electronic voucher (e-voucher) system. “By the end of November, government will release the money to pay farmers under the e-voucher system,” Siliya…
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) owes K600 million to farmers who supplied it with maize during this year’s marketing season, said FRA executive director, Chola Kafwabulula. Kafwabulula said the agency has already paid out K103 million and expects treasury to pay the balance soon. FRA exceeded its target of 500…
The World Bank has endorsed Zambia’s agricultural progress and urged for more investment to accelerate gains. Country manager Ina-Marlene Ruthenberg said despite progress, there is still a need for increased investment in the agriculture sector to reduce poverty. “Agriculture is a significant sector that needs concerted support to not only…
Zambian Finance Minister, Felix Mutati said 600 000 so-called ghost farmers were removed from the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), saving the treasury K1 billion. According to Mutati, the 1.6 million from the last farming season were littered with non-existent farmers and duplicate beneficiaries. He said the migration to a…
Command agriculture – a major, private-sector-backed subsidy programme implemented by the Government of Zimbabwe – has been hailed as a massive success, especially following the huge maize harvest reaped this year. President Mugabe recently described command agriculture as ‘beautiful’. The programme, led by the Vice President, Emerson Mnangagwa, with the ministry of agriculture…
The Zambian government has introduced a gender quota of 45% women for this year’s Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), said Agriculture Minister Dora Siliya. Local media reports Siliya said the move is in line with government’s plan for economic diversification. “Government wants gender quality in its development agenda and will…
Good grain harvests are causing below-average maize prices for smallholder farmers in Southern African countries like Zimbabwe and Malawi, said the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET). According to the network’s September report, maize prices in Malawi and Mozambique are on average about 10% below the five-year average. “The trend…
Zimbabwe will be self-sufficient in maize production for the first time in nearly a decade. The country will also not have to import any maize in the 2017/’18 marketing year. According to the recent grain and feed annual report issued by the USA’s Department of Agriculture, the country will have…
Judges at the recent regional Eastern Cape wool sheep flock competition, held in Tarkastad, said the quality of sheep offered from communal farmers is exceptional. According to Abrie Aucamp, an independent National Wool Growers’ Association (NWGA) ram selector, the quality of sheep astounded judges. “They had a lot of difficulty…
Smallholder farmers needs access to agricultural insurance to help them mitigate the effects of climate change says the South African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU). The Union has joined the global call to make agricultural insurance available, in particular to smallholder farmers. “We understand how farmers across southern Africa have…
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) today in Lusaka announced it will buy maize from farmers at K60 for 50kg. The price offer, flying in the face of the more than K85/50kg government promised last week, provoked sharp reaction from the Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU). At the same briefing, FRA…
The Dairy Association of Zambia (DAZ) says the nation’s milk production is far below the installed capacity of 182 million litres per annum. According to DAZ, the constrained growth was a result of high cost of inputs. This resulted into sector producing a mere 65 million litres per annum. “Feed…
The construction of a modern airport on the Copperbelt has displaced 480 farmers. Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Elias Kamanga confirmed that more than half of the displaced farmers have already been paid. “Government set aside K21 million to compensate displaced farmers at the new Ndola airport site and more than K14…
Faced with a decline of more than 50% in production since last year, Zambian tobacco producers want Value Added Tax (VAT) exemption to gain market competitiveness. In submissions to the 2018 national budget, the Tobacco Association of Zambia (TAZ) said scrapping VAT will level the playing field for local producers…
South African smallholder farmers are unhappy about the slow pace of land reform and support to farmers and want to discuss these issues. The African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (AFASA) is the host for a conference on transformation in the agricultural sector from July 30 to August 1. The…
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) will start buying maize on September 1, but the agency is yet to announce the price it will offer. Government has meanwhile cautioned farmers against so-called panic sales. Addressing the parliamentary committee on agriculture, fisheries and livestock, FRA Executive Director Chola Kafwabulula said the September…
The Bankers Association of Zambia (BAZ) says commercial Zambian banks have started piloting the use of livestock as collateral. Many Zambians welcomed the move, saying it is hard to meet collateral demands set by banks. According to BAZ, the pilot programme is conducted in collaboration with the Dairy Association of…
More than 61 000 smallholder farmers will benefit from a US$22 million International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) project aimed at helping them commercialise. According to Zambia’s Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary Pamela Kabamba, the project will encourage the uptake of market-oriented agriculture among women and youth. “The project will…
African SME seed companies could benefit from a new foundation seed company which recently opened its doors in Kenya. Newly appointed managing director of QualiBase Seed (QBS), Andy Watt, intends to fill the gap in the seed supply chain. The company wants to help small and medium-sized companies to produce…
The Zambian government has suspended two councils from serving as land administration agents. Councils are under increased scrutiny after the alleged sale of an entire chiefdom in Central Province, allegedly in cahoots with the local council. Lands Minister Jean Kapata announced the suspension of Ndola and Kabwe Municipal Councils because…
Zimbabwe have imposed a ban on grain imports after the latest output forecast shows the country expects a bumper harvest of 2.1 million tons, four times more than the 2016 harvest. According to Reuters, government announced the ban to “protect local farmers after producing enough to meet domestic demand”. The…
