Choma receives agro inputs

—-Choma district has received 200 bags of both top and basal dressing fertilizer under the Food Security Pack (FSP) meant for the vulnerable but viable people practicing wet land farming.

Choma District Commissioner, Golden Nyambe, confirmed the development, adding that district has also received 100 bags of 5kgs seed to be shared among the beneficiaries for the 2013/2014 wet land farming season.

Mr Nyambe assured that the government will endeavour to use all possible means to address the challenges the vulnerable in society go through by empowering them in such a manner so as to eradicate the high levels of poverty they have been subjected to since independence.

He said the PF government is committed to ensure that farming is encouraged and improved in the country, hence its timely support to the vulnerable group in society.

“PF is running a pro-poor government, so people should not even panic because everything is on course,” Nyambe said.

And acting Choma District Community Development Officer, Esther Siyumbwa and assistant Community Development Officer, Mumbula Mwiya, who were at hand to receive the fertilizer and the seeds, said farmers will each get 2 bags of fertilizer and a 5kg of seed.

Ms Siyumbwa described some of the people to benefit in the exercise as female-headed, terminally-ill-headed, and disabled-headed households.

“Others are the widow-headed households, child-headed and unemployed-youth-headed households,” she said.

She named the areas to benefit from the programme and the number of beneficiaries as Manguunza, 40, Chipande, 20, Popota, 10 , Batoka, 20, while Sibanyati will have10 families to benefit.

Meanwhile, Mr Mwiya urged the would-be beneficiaries to use the fertilizer for the intended purpose so as to uplift their standard of living and be able to help others in future.

Mr Mwiya advised them not to mess up with the privilege government has accorded them of boosting their agricultural ambitions.

“As an office entrusted to spearhead this programme we will be very disappointed to hear that a beneficiary has sold either fertilizer or seed,” Mr Mwiya said.