Have a great Monday.
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FRIDAY BRIEF
WEEK 24, 2014
THIS Week’s Highlights
·
FARMERS URGED TO KNOW
THEIR WATER USER RIGHTS
·
PIG GENETICS FARM SOON
TO OPEN IN ZAMBIA
·
GSI/AFGRI CONDUCT GRAIN SILOS DEMONSTRATION
·
2015 NATIONAL BUDGET
SUBMISSIONS TO MINISTRY OF FINANCE
…... SEE DETAILED
UPDATES BELOW……
INDUSTRY UPDATES/ALERTS
FARMERS
URGED TO KNOW THEIR WATER USER RIGHTS
The Director for Water
Resources Management Authority (WARMA) has reiterated the need for sound
legislation and water management structures among all major water users as
provided for in the new Water Resources Management Act No. 21 of 2011. Mr. Kakotwe informed the National Catchment Delineation
workshop in Chisamba that his Authority was putting up water management
structures at all levels to help calm the growing inter-sectoral water use
conflicts among major users, i.e. farmers, mines, manufacturing industry,
environment and domestic consumers. WARMA is calling on all water users to
organize and recognize themselves into Water Users Associations as provided for
by the law in order to claim their water user rights and obligations. The new
WARMA Act provides for, among other things, an integrated, interactive,
participatory, gender-sensitive; multi-sectoral and stakeholder approach to
water resources management aimed at enhancing equitable water use allocation.
PIG
GENETICS FARM SOON TO OPEN IN ZAMBIA
A Pig Genetics
farm will soon start its operations in Zambia. This came to light when a team
of Zambian Industry experts from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock as
well as the Zambia National Farmers’ Union visited a pig genetics farm in South
Africa to familiarize themselves with the operations of such an investment. The
farm which will be fully automated is expected to cater for the supply of breeding
stock to other countries such as; Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo and
Tanzania. Ground work has already commenced and the farm is expected to be
operational in September, 2014. The farm will initially start with a 500 sow
unit and is expected to offload more than 200 weaners per week to grower farms.
ZNFU is happy with this development as
new Pig Genetic farm will help resolve current problems faced by many pig
farmers when sourcing for improved genetics for their breeding stock.
GSI/AFGRI CONDUCT GRAIN SILOS DEMONSTRATION
GSI Zambia
Ltd in partnership with AFGRI recently unveiled their new grain storage
technology to Mkushi farmers at the AFGRI Bunker. The company showcased
different storage facilities which included steel farm bins, commercial storage
grain bins, grain silos and a low cost bulk grain storage solution for
smallholder and emergent farmers. Speaking to farmers during the function,
Mkushi District Commissioner Mr. Luka Mwamba expressed delight at the fact that
some of the storage facilities are now tailor made for small scale and emergent
farmers a move that will enhance storage and reduce post-harvest loses.
2015
NATIONAL BUDGET SUBMISSIONS TO MINISTRY OF FINANCE
The Ministry of Finance has
started receiving tax and non-tax proposals for the 2015 National Budget and
the 2015 to 2017 Medium Term Expenditure Framework [MTEF]. In
this regard the Union is requesting members to submit tax and non-tax proposals
across the agricultural value chains to ZNFU Head Office by 15th July 2014. This will
enable the Union have ample time to compile all submissions prior to submitting
to the Ministry of Finance on behalf of members.
The format of the proposals to
be submitted to Ministry of Finance is as follows:
1. Clearly outline the expected
impact in terms of;
·
Proposed measure,
·
Justification; and
·
Expected revenue impact (i.e. gain or loss).
2. All proposals on improvement
of tax administration must clearly outline anomalies/challenges in current
statutes which are proposed to be corrected and justify expected improved outcomes,
especially in revenue collection.
NEWS FROM THE
REGIONS
CENTRAL
REGION
MKUSHI DFA TO HOLD ITS 2014 AGM
Mkushi DFA
has set 27th June 2014 as the date for this year’s Annual General
Meeting. This year’s date is intentionally set to coincide with the District
agricultural show starting the same day so that farmers can interact with
exhibitors before the meeting. To facilitate this, the AGM will be held at the
Council chamber instead of the usual country club at 14 hour.
I-CONNECT TO EXTEND COVERAGE TO MKUSHI
I-connect
one of the internet service providers established in 2005 and who are now a
part of the Vodacom group has expressed interest to extend its internet
coverage to Mkushi district. During their discussions with the ZNFU Officials,
the I-connect officials indicated that they were looking forward to partnering
with the Union in their drive to modernize internet connectivity and offer
competitive services to the farming community. Meanwhile, the ZNFU has welcomed
the development as it will enhance communication efficiency.
EASTERN
B REGION
LEAVE
FISP FOR THE VULNERABLE, CHIEF NYAMPANDE ADVISES FARMERS
Chief Nyampande of Petauke District has warned
farmers to stop depending on FISP because the program was meant to help only
the vulnerable people. Speaking during the Mechanization Road Show field day
organized by CFU on 10th June 2014, the Chief advised the farmers to
join ZNFU if they were to reap the benefit of Agriculture because ZNFU was
there for farmers and their service delivery was more efficient. He cited the
Lima Credit Scheme as one of the major benefits among other services that
farmers can access from the Union. He said that he had confidence in the Union
because he has seen how farming has improved in his Chiefdom due to
interventions which ZNFU has brought in his area. He however, advised the DACO
to quickly address challenges surrounding the allocation and distribution of
inputs under FISP in the District. He further appealed to Government through
the District Commissioner’s office to quickly announce the maize floor price as
farmers were running out of patience.
FARMERS
ADVISE TO EMBRACE CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY
Petauke District
Commissioner has advised farmers in the Province and particularly Petauke
District to embrace the modern Conservation Agriculture Technology which CFU
and other stakeholders like ZNFU are promoting .Speaking at the Mechanization
road show field day, she advised farmers to have a positive mind that can
quickly adapt to change and take advantage of technologies that are being
offloaded on the market. And also speaking during the same event, Petauke DFA
chairperson, Mr. Joseph Lungu said “the Union does not only speak for farmers
but also provide solutions to increase production and productivity.”
PETAUKE
BEE KEEPERS HAPPY WITH HONEY PRICE
Farmer’s in
Petauke have expressed satisfaction with the market linkage that the Zambia
Honey Council has established in the district for bee keepers. The private
buyer Agri-world is currently offering K6.50 per kg to the farmers and has been
consistent in both payments and collections.
NORTHERN REGION
CHILUBI RICE FARMERS STUCK WITH THE COMMODITY
Rice farmers in Chilubi have no market where to offload the commodity they
have grown in area and have appealed to the government to quickly intervene.
Kampombo Cooperative secretary Mr. Pride Kaunda observed that rice farmers are
frustrated in Chilubi because the current marketing policy did not favour them
as they are left to organize market linkages on their own. Despite Rice farmers
in the area responding to government calls of diversification, they had been
facing challenges in selling rice because government has not been buying the
commodity from them as they are doing for maize farmers. Meanwhile, Chilubi
mainland this year has produced estimated 7,000 x 50kg bags of rice.
ALL IS SET FOR THE MBALA
DISTRICT SHOW
Mbala district held its District Agricultural show today and the ZNFU
participated through Mbala District Farmers’ Association and Nondo Information
Centre which was represented Nondo Block. The theme for this year’s show was ‘Breaking
the new grounds’.
SOUTHERN B REGION
MAZABUKA FARM WORKERS TO BENEFIT FROM LCS
Farm
workers at Rafeen Farm among other farms in Mazabuka district have expressed
interest to join the Union and participate on the Lima Credit Scheme program.
Speaking at a meeting today, Mr. Ivor Evans encouraged his workers to join ZNFU
in order for them to double their production by participating on the Lima
credit scheme.
In a
similar development, another meeting at Northern Zambezi Traders (PAMA MEAT) was
organized with the same view of helping the farm workers to access inputs
through the ZNFU’s Lima Credit Scheme and that they will not have to look for an
off taker, as the company is ready to buy off the commodity from its workers.
WORLD VISION ZAMBIA TO COLLABORATE WITH ZNFU
World
Vision is implementing a number of agricultural activities in Namwala and has
since approached Namwala DFA so that all the trainings they intend to conduct with
the farmers are channeled through the Information Centres. The trainings will
be conducted for all the contact farmers in the following ; conservation
farming, post-harvest technologies and
sensitize farmers on the importance of crop diversification in commodities such
as cow peas, Irish potatoes and sweet potatoes.
The organization
has also challenged ZNFU and NAIS to come up with radio forums programs at the
Macha’s vision broadcasting community radio. The programs will aim at educating
and informing the community on what ZNFU and World vision are doing in the area.
NORTH
WESTERN REGION
ALL
IS SET FOR THE NORTH WESTERN PROVINCIAL SHOW
The North Western
Provincial Agricultural, Mining and Commercial Show will to be held in the
showground from 20th - 22nd June under the theme “BREAKING NEW GROUNDS.” In relation with the theme, the technology of
the ZNFU e-extension is definitely breaking new grounds some farmers have since
started accessing extension services using this system. The show will therefore
be a platform at which the system will be exhibited and shared with more
farmers as they visit the ZNFU stand.
WESTERN
REGION
MUMBWA FARMERS AWAIT
THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF MAIZE FLOOR PRICE
Farmers in Mumbwa are eagerly awaiting the
announcement of the maize floor price. This came to light during an Information
Centre meeting in Keezwa IC's Shibunji District held on Tuesday this week.
Speaking on behalf of the farmers, information centre Chairperson Adam Kipupu
said the delay in the announcement of the Maize floor price will give an upper
hand to the private buyers whose dealings with the farmer are not fair. Mr.
Kipupu further said all farmers in the area are expecting that the floor Price
to be announced will be higher than K65.00 per 50 kg bag considering the rise in
the cost of inputs.
SUPERIOR MILLING
STARTS OPERATIONS IN MUMBWA
The long awaited Superior Milling branch
officially opened its doors for business on Tuesday the 10th of June,
2014. Gracing the opening Ceremony was
Mumbwa District Commissioner Mr. Sunday Shamabanse. Mr. Shamabanse said that
the venture that Superior milling has launched is in line with governments endeavour
in terms of Job creation. He also thanked the company for looking towards
Mumbwa district in their quest to increase and the companies’ outlets. He
further said ‘Superior Milling will add to the already existing agro off takers
of maize in the district.’ The opening Ceremony took place at the ZNFU's
Agriculture Service Centre where Superior Milling will be operating from.
JTI TO PROMOTE A NEW
TOBACCO CURING METHOD
JTI is now promoting a more environmental
friendly and cost effective way of curing the tobacco to farmers in Kaoma. JTI
is trying to come up with ways of preventing environmental degradation which
has seen a lot of wood lots cut down for fire wood which is used for curing
purposes. The new technology called Matope Balm will also help in reducing the
colours of the crop to two; reduce on the quantity of firewood used and days
for complete curing. This will help improve on quality and reduce the cost of
curing while addressing environmental sustainability through the promotion of Afforestation
by planting selected tree species that can help in firewood and poles for
construction. Furthermore, farmers are motivated by receiving a payment of 8 cents
per surviving tree annually.
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