Secretary to the Cabinet has announced the release of a cumulative K1 billion to ensure active participation of the Food Reserve Agency in the 2020 crop marketing season and facilitate attainment of national strategic food reserve requirements.

In a statement obtained by Money FM News, Fredson Yamba said the funding is a response to the guidance of President Edgar Lungu and the crop purchase strategies of the Ministry of Agriculture through FRA.

Mr. Yamba said FRA is expected to disburse the K1 billion funding to farmer paying financial institutions in various districts so that farmers who meet the necessary documentation and scrutiny requirements for the delivered crops, receive payments, accordingly.

He thanked the farmers for increasing crop production in the 2019/2020 season as this is an important indication that the country will have sufficient stocks of food until the next harvest in 2021.

“We join His Excellency the President in expressing sincere gratitude to our hardworking farmers for increasing crop production in the 2019/2020 season. For us, this is an important indication that the country will have sufficient stocks of food until the next harvest in 2021.”

“We also join the Ministry of Agriculture in urging our small-scale farmers to reserve enough grains to see them through to the next harvest. Unless households are food secure, national food security will be compromised. This is why small-scale farmers should properly apportion their harvest between consumption and sell, where possible,” Mr. Yamba said.

The country has recorded a total production of 3,387,469 metric tonnes of maize in the 2019/2020 season from 2,004,389 metric tonnes in the 2018/2019 season, representing a production increase of 69%.