SPEECH BY THE LUAPULA PROVINCE MINISTER; HONOURABLE BONIFACE KAWIMBE (MP) AT THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE ZAMBIA NATIONAL FARMERS’ UNION REGIONAL OFFICE FOR LUAPULA ON 4TH SEPTEMBER 2009 AT MANSA FARMERS TRAINING CENTER
MASTER OF CEREMONY;
THE ZNFU PRESIDENT;
THE ZNFU EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR;
THE PROVINCIAL AGRICULTURAL COORDINATOR (PACO);
THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONER (DC);
THE DISTRICT AGRICULTURAL COORDINATOR (DACO);
THE CHIEF TECHNICAL ASSISTANT FOR THE PROGRAMME FOR LUAPULA AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (PLARD);
THE PRINCIPAL FOR MANSA FARMERS’ TRAINING CENTER;
CHAIRPERSONS OF ALL ZNFU DISTRICT FARMERS’ ASSOCIATIONS HERE PRESENT;
DISTINGUISHED INVITED GUESTS
MEMBERS OF THE PRESS
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
MR. CHAIRMAN, IT IS INDEED A HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE FOR ME TO BE GUEST OF HONOUR OF THIS VERY IMPORTANT OCCASION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE IN LUAPULA PROVINCE.
MR. CHAIRMAN IT IS PLEASING TO MY GOVERNMENT TO SEE THE FARMING COMMUNITY OF LUAPULA PROVINCE COMING TOGETHER TO LAUNCH A REGIONAL OFFICE MEANT TO HELP ORGANIZE OUR SMALL SCALE FARMERS INTO FORMIDABLE ASSOCIATIONS AND FARMER GROUPS, A DEVELOPMENT WHICH CRITICALLY NEEDED IF OUR SMALL SCALE FARMERS ARE TO GAINFULLY PARTICIPATE IN THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF LUAPULA PROVINCE AND HELP CONTRIBUTE TO ZAMBIA’S POVERTY ALLEVIATION EFFORTS.
MR. CHAIRMAN, ORGANIZING SMALL SCALE FARMERS INTO FORMIDABLE ASSOCIATIONS AND FARMER GROUPS HELPS IMPROVE BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR EXTENSION SERVICES PROVISION AS IT LOWERS COSTS, AND MAKES AGRICULTURAL MARKETING AND TRADE FACILITATION FEASIBLE AND MORE ECONOMICAL.
ORGANIZED FARMER ASSOCIATIONS AND FARMER GROUPS ARE ALSO A NECESSARY RURAL DEVELOPMENT INGREDIENT AS IT BECOMES EASIER TO JUSTIFY GOVERNMENT INVESTMENTS IN SUCH AREAS AS RURAL INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT.
MR. PRESIDENT AND FARMERS, I THINK YOU ALSO AGREE WITH ME THAT, WITH WELL ORGANIZED FARMER ASSOCIATIONS AND GROUPS, GOVERNMENT AND OTHER DONOR FUNDED RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS WILL FIND IT EASIER TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THE FARMING HOUSEHOLDS OF LUAPULA PROVINCE.
MASTER OF CEREMONY, ALLOW ME TO COMMEND ZNFU FOR THEIR WELL THOUGHT DECISION TO COME AND ESTABLISH A REGIONAL OFFICE IN LUAPULA PROVINCE. I AM INFORMED THAT THE REGIONAL OFFICE WILL PROVIDE MARKET AND TRADE INFORMATION; AND FACILITATE SMALL SCALE FARMERS LINKAGES TO INPUT SUPPLIERS; FINANCE; AND COMMODITY MARKETS AMONGST OTHER MEMBER SERVICES MEANT TO HELP IMPROVE SMALL SCALE FARMERS’ PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFITABILITY.
MR. CHAIRMAN, TODAY’S DEVELOPMENT IS IN LINE WITH MY GOVERNMENT’S AGRICULTURAL POLICY WHICH SEEKS TO FACILITATE AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SUSTAINABLE AND COMPETITIVE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR THAT ASSURES FOOD SECURITY AT NATIONAL AND HOUSEHOLD LEVELS AND MAXIMIZE THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP).
TO HELP ACHIEVE THE ABOVE OBJECTIVES MY GOVERNMENT HAS CONTINUED FACILITATING EASY ACCESS TO AGRICULTURAL INPUTS BY OUR FARMERS THROUGH THE FERTILIZER SUPPORT PROGRAMME. MR. PRESIDENT AND FARMERS, I AM GLAD TO INFORM YOU THAT THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND COOPERATIVES HAS PUT IN PLACE MEASURES TO ENSURE TRANSPARENT ALLOCATION AND TIMELY DISTRIBUTION OF THIS YEAR’S FSP INPUTS IN ALL THE DISTRICTS IN THE PROVINCE.
MAY I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADVICE OUR FARMERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE THIS GOOD DEVELOPMENT BY ENSURING THAT ONLY DESERVING FARMERS ACCESS FSP INPUTS AND UTILIZE THESE INPUTS JUDICIOUSLY.
MR. CHAIRMAN, GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO PUT IN PLACE PRAGMATIC MEASURES TO ENSURE ALL CROP COMMODITIES PRODUCED BY OUR SMALL SCALE FARMERS ARE BOUGHT BY THE FOOD RESERVE AGENCY (FRA). THIS MEANT TO ENABLE OUR FARMERS TO PROCURE INPUTS FOR THE COMING SEASON AND CONTINUE IMPROVING THEIR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION.
MY GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO PRIORITIZED INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT IN LUAPULA PROVINCE IN ORDER TO CONTINUE ATTRACTING PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENTS IN AGRICULTURE AND TOURISM SECTORS AND TO CONTINUE FOSTERING RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE PROVINCE.
WITH THE ASSISTANCE FROM THE FINNISH GOVERNMENT, MY GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND COOPERATIVES (MACO) IS ALSO IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAMME FOR LUAPULA AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (PLARD) WHICH IS PROMOTING IMPROVED AND SUSTAINABLE INCOME AND FOOD SECURITY AMONG RURAL HOUSEHOLDS IN LUAPULA THROUGH:
1) FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE;
2) AGRICULTURE AND NON-FARM ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES; AND;
3) THROUGH MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION.
PLARD IS ALSO IMPLEMENTING ACTIVITIES AIMED AT CONTRIBUTING TO EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION OF PUBLIC RESOURCES. MR. CHAIRMAN, ALLOW ME TO URGE ZNFU AND THE REGIONAL OFFICE WHICH WE ARE ABOUT TO LAUNCH TO WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH PLARD.
BEFORE OFFICIALLY LAUNCHING THE ZNFU LUAPULA REGIONAL OFFICE, ALLOW ME TO ALSO URGE ALL FARMING HOUSEHOLDS OF LUAPULA TO JOIN THE ZAMBIA NATIONAL FARMERS’ UNION. THE ZAMBIA NATIONAL FARMERS’ UNION IS A VERY ORGANIZED AND FOCUSED FARMERS ORGANIZATION WITH A LONG HISTORY TRACED OVER 100 YEARS.
MY GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZES ZNFU AS A STRATEGIC AND GENUINE ADVISER TO GOVERNMENT. ZNFU HAS ALSO a RELIABLE NETWORK AND NATIONWIDE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES WHICH I URGE ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO COLLABORATE WITH. MY GOVERNMENT PARTICULARLY MY OFFICE PLEDGE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE ZNFU FOR ENHANCED AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT.
THE DESIRE BY THE ZNFU TO REPRESENT ALL FARMERS IN THE COUNTRY IS EVIDENCED BY THIS OCCASION TODAY WHERE WE ARE NOW ABOUT TO OFFICIALLY LAUNCH A PROVINCIAL ZNFU OFFICE IN LUAPULA PROVINCE.
WITH THESE FEW REMARKS, ALLOW ME TO NOW DECLARE THE ZNFU REGIONAL OFFICE OFFICIALLY LUANCHED.
I THANK YOU.
