SIMUUSA

By CHILA NAMAIKO

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AGRICULTURE and Livestock Minister, Wylbur Simuusa says K13 million has been allocated in this year’s Budget for the cattle restocking exercise in Southern Province.
Mr Simuusa said each of the districts in Southern Province would receive an allocation of K1 million for the cattle restocking exercise.
He said in addition to the cattle restocking exercise, Government had embarked on the construction of 200 new dip tanks across the country out of which, 50 would be constructed in Southern Province.
Mr Simuusa said in an interview in Choma that 300 dip tanks would also be rehabilitated in various parts of the country.
“I already have the guidelines in my office which I will soon be releasing on how this cattle restocking exercise would be done and how the cows will be given to intended farmers in this province,” he said.
He said cooperating partners such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) had also pledged substantial support to ensure the cattle restocking exercise was successful.
Mr Simuusa said he had tasked provincial and district agricultural officers to identify farmers who would benefit from the cattle restocking exercise.
He said Government was developing the agricultural sector through continued investment of resources and other services to improve the living standards of people.
The minister said agriculture was one of the thriving sectors which had potential to reduce the poverty levels in the country.
Mr Simuusa said Government was putting more valuable mechanisms to ensure that small-scale farmers continue to benefit from various agricultural empowerment programmes.