By HELEN ZULU –
SOUTH Africa’s Greenwich Institute of Technology has urged farmers to adapt to improved farming technologies to achieve high production.
Greenwich Institute of Technology Group chief executive officer Michelo Moonga said farmers need to adapt to improved farming technologies to achieve high production, productivity, and improve the agriculture base.
According to AgriProfocus website, Mr Moonga said this would also enable farmers co-ordinate the development and implementation of improved production technologies in order to enhance livestock production.
“Farmers need to adapt to improved farming technologies that will enable them achieve high production and improve the agriculture base,” he said.
Mr Moonga said that Zambia remained extremely vulnerable to recurring natural disasters; including floods, drought and animal disease as such food production levels varied widely from year to year.
He said the agriculture sector in relation to food security needed improved and increased productivity.
Mr Moonga said this would in turn serve to provide employment for farmers as well as in other industries that arises as a result of farming activity or processing of farm produce.
“The lack of proper infrastructure, inadequate provision of agricultural inputs, poor access to markets and the slow pace of change in attitudes towards crop and livelihood diversification also continue to undermine farming capacity.’
Food plays an important role in the life of a nation and there are many challenges affecting food security in the world and climate change tops the list,” Mr Moonga said.
He said farmers must be equipped with the knowledge of how to adapt to improved farming technology to achieve high production.
The institute has since organised a three-day chat with the farmer Conference and Expo in Lusaka.
The conference and Expo which is scheduled to start today in Lusaka would help many Zambians understand how to support themselves through Agriculture and Livestock.