ZCF urges farmers to diversify

The Zambia Cooperative Federation (ZCF) has advised farmers to think of ways of diversifying instead of depending on maize farming.

ZCF Executive Director James Chirwa says farmers should diversify their farming activities to avoid being at a loss in cases were farming inputs are delivered late.

Mr. Chirwa says the preoccupation of government is to find ways and means of alleviating or reducing poverty in the country but that this can only be achieved if the farmers themselves also find ways of complimenting government’s effort such as growing other alternative crops apart from maize.

He adds that small scale farmers have remained poor because of too much dependency on maize farming when Zambia is blessed with good land which can also accommodate other crops other maize which can enable farmer earn a living even in instances where the rainy pattern is not favorable.

Mr. Chirwa further states that diversification will create jobs for the Zambian youths in rural areas, increase production and increase income for the farmers.