ZNFU’s Calvin Kakoma Kaleyi tags 2021-2022 agro season difficult

Calvin Kakoma Kaleyi is Public Relations Manager at ZNFU

By Derrick Sinjela

ZAMBIA National Farmers Union (ZNFU) Public Relations Manager Calvin Kakoma Kaleyi has described the on-going 2021-2022 farming season as a difficult mixed bag crowded by late rains, late input distribution, army worms and partial drought.

In a telephone interview in Lusaka, Mr. Kaleyi observed that despite noted challenges, Zambia can be transformed in to an agricultural production hub through prudent management of the sector and emphasis on irrigation and mechanisation.

In apparent reference to heeding lessons learnt, Kaleyi says timely distribution disbursement fertilizer is essential to coping with unpredictable weather patterns, as experienced in Namwala District of the Southern Province recently.

“Well it has been a mixed bag. On input distribution, some suppliers did 100 per cent while others delayed, some parts of the Southern and Eastern provinces that did not receive d compound early. Delayed  rains, serious rain started pouring end if December 2021, It had rained in early October but rains disappeared in early November. It invariably means that farmers who planted at the sight of the rain have to replant. Secondly, some areas in the Southern and Western provinces had floods, and all the seeds and fertilizers were washed away. Fore army worm and prolonged drought in Muchinga province,” noted Kaleyi.

Kaleyi implored Zambia to come to terms and accept that climate change is real, pointing out that time is now for the country to employ strategies on how best to cope with the phenomenon of changing weather patterns.

Kaleyi believes that investing in mechanisation and irrigation equipment is key in making agriculture as a whole-year activity by actualising grants through which peasant farmers can access pumps and sprinklers to enhance production as they do not need centre pivots.

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