NAIS-Northern Province

ZARI TO TEST SOILS IN PERMANENT DEMO FIELDS IN KASAMA
The Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI) has offered to test soils in permanent demonstration sites in Kasama District.

Speaking during the district field day held in Chibote Agricultural Camp, Misamfu Principal Agricultural Research Officer, Richard KAUNDA said soil testing of the permanent demonstration sites will reduce agricultural input costs, protect the environment and support production and productivity.

And Chibote Camp Agricultural Committee Chairperson Terrence CHIBWE has revealed that seed companies have been allocated permanent sites at the camp demonstration site so that they can showcase their products to farmers.

Mr CHIBWE said the camp has secured 10 hectares of traditional land for the establishment of sustainable agricultural demonstration plots.

And Speaking on behalf of the Kasama District Commissioner, Annie Paul, Kasama District Agricultural Coordinator Dr John NJOVU has reaffirmed the government's support to farmers to diversify the agricultural sector.

Dr NJOVU said farmers should continue taking advantage of available government programs that support agricultural diversification, production and productivity.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture in Kasama District has urged farmers to follow post-harvest management practices to avoid aflatoxins.
Kasama District Marketing and Development Officer Regina KANYANTA has said that farmers should harvest their crops at the right time and observe crop moisture content to avoid aflatoxins, which are poisonous compounds produced by certain fungi.

Ms KANYANTA said farmers should observe post-harvest management to maintain good grain quality to ensure maximum nutritional value, reduce losses and enhance marketability.

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692 MOTORCYCLES BOUGHT THROUGH FARMING

Over six hundred and ninety-two small-scale farmers have bought motorcycles through legume production in Kapanda Agricultural Camp in Kasama District.

Speaking during a field day under the Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Farming Systems (SIFAZ) Project in Zambia, Kapanda Agricultural Camp Chairperson Richard MULENGA said 692 small-scale farmers have bought motorcycles, while 19 farmers have bought vehicles through farming.

Mr MULENGA said some farmers have started using the motorcycles for business, increasing economic activities in the area.

And Kapanda Camp Agricultural Extension Officer, Barbra HABAMBA has added that small-scale farmers are taking farming as a business through bean and groundnut production.

Ms HABAMBA said this development was initiated through the European-funded SIFAZ Project, implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation and CIMMYT, which has been supplying farmers with certified legume seed since 2019.

Meanwhile, Kasama District Marketing and Development Officer Regina KANYANTA has applauded farmers in the camp for adopting Sustainable Intensification Practices and business concepts to improve their livelihoods.

Ms KANYANTA has, however, urged farmers to register their motorcycles and follow road traffic rules to protect their lives.

DEVELOPMENT

OVER 27,000 NORTHERN FARMERS EQUIPPED TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS.

By Mercy Mumbi and Mulenga Kalulu.

The Ministry of Agriculture in Northern Province has trained over 27, 000 farmers in climate-smart agriculture (CSA), aimed at bolstering their resilience against the adverse effects of climate change.

Northern Province Principal Agriculture Officer Henry Kapesa says the Ministry of Agriculture has gone flat out to train extension officers and farmers in CSA to address the devastating effects that is affecting the productivity among farmers.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with NAIS when he visited Lupososhi District of Northern Province to monitor the training of farmers in CSA, Mr Kapesa said Government, with support from World Bank, through the ZAMGRO project, has been supported to sensitize both the farmers and extension officers, to help farmers become resilient to the effects of Climate Change.

“So far we have gone over 80% in terms of training the farmers. The trainings are ongoing. As you know, agriculture could be rain-fed or irrigated agriculture throughout. As they are doing their agriculture, they are conscious, they are aware that as we are doing the farming, we are faced with this challenge of climate change” Mr Kapesa has said.

And speaking in a separate interview, Lupososhi District Acting Senior Agricultural Officer, Betha Kaumba the District has since completed the trainings and has started installing demonstration plots through lead farmers across the 14 Camps to facilitate peer to peer learning.

Ms Kaumba says the district has also started installing demonstration plots through lead farmers across the 14 Camps to facilitate peer to peer learning.

Meanwhile, Moses Chileshe, a farmer from Lupososhi’s Mutondo Camp has commended Government for the timely effort towards equipping farmers with the much needed information on how they can navigate around issues of Climate Change.

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KASAMA FARMERS WELCOME CSA TRAININGS

Small-scale farmers in Kasama District have welcomed the Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) Training being rolled out across the country by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Speaking during the training, Ntumpa Agricultural Camp Chairperson, Joseph MUTALE has said the program will enhance farmers’ skills in coping with the effects of climate change.

Mr MUTALE added that the training will also improve their farming practices and help them maintain yields and food security for their households.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture aims to train over 6,000 farmers in Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) in Kasama District to strengthen their resilience against climate change.

Kasama District Food and Nutrition Officer (FNO) Vivian MWANSA said the programme also focuses on increasing agricultural productivity and household nutrition.

Mrs MWANSA added that the Ministry of Agriculture has hence established over 450 nutrition-sensitive demos with technologies that not only sustain soil fertility but also ensure household nutrition security.

And Ntumpa Camp Extension Officer, Rawn MAZUBA said CSA practices are important in helping farmers remain resilient to changing weather patterns and sustain food production.