Ministry Of Agriculture Implores Farmers To Embrace Value Addition
Written by Mafken FM Newsroom on 24 September 2024
By Staff Reporter
The Ministry of Agriculture has implored farmers to not only concentrate on producing crops but also embrace value addition if they are to transition into emerging and large scale farmers.
Director – Agribusiness and Marketing Mwendalubi Moono Msoka says small scale farmers are key players in the value addition chain and more effort is needed to ensure value addition to their products for a high return.
Speaking in New Delhi after attending the just-ended World Food India 2024 Conference, Ms. Msoka noted that India had done a lot on processing and that while small scale Zambian farmers had concentrated much on production, there was a need to pay particular attention to value addition if they were to grow.
She said her ministry had recognised the small scale farmers as part of the value addition chain and that aggregation alliances were key in the sector.
And Ministry of Agriculture Chief Food and Nutrition Officer Karen Chenda Mukuka expressed concern that most of the food processed locally may not be nutrition sensitive.
Ms. Mukuka said there was a need to have different crops blended to produce a particular product as doing so enhanced the nutrition value of the final product. She further called on Zambians to increase their propensity to consuming local products to support local farmers.
She also challenged farmers to grow drought resistant crops such as sorghum, millet, and cassava in the wake of unpredictable rainfall patterns.
