The Emerald and Small Scale Miners Association of Zambia has called on small scale miners to get involved in the 2020-2021 farming season to help mitigate effects of Covid 19 to the small scale mining sector.
Association President Victor Kalesha said the association appreciates the early delivery of farming inputs by the Ministry of Agriculture, stating that this is a good indicator that miners can also diversify to agriculture as an alternative during difficult economic times.
“In as much as we can attribute the good harvest to the favorable weather condition we experienced, we should also appreciate the early delivery of farming inputs by the ministry of agriculture and we appeal that government continues making agriculture in Zambia attractive,” Mr. Kalesha said.
Mr. Kalesha observed that small scale miners have been hit badly by the Covid-19, but that as a way of survival, they should alternate to farming as they wait for the sector to get back to normal.
“The smallholder farmers should therefore be encouraged to gain confidence in more maize growing so that they also contribute to the food basket of the country. As small miners we are encouraged that when our mining sector is down, the agriculture sector has recorded positive results.”
“We have been hit badly by the Covid-19 as miners, but as a way of survival, we should alternate to farming as we wait for our sector to get back to normal which we don’t know when,” he added.
He also appealed to the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Development to flex the payment on area charges to save the miners from incurring arrears after Covid 19.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kalesha commended Minister of Agriculture Michael Katambo for his tireless efforts to make the agriculture sector viable in view of the increase in maize production in 2020 compared to 2019.
“The increase in maize production in 2020 compared to 2019 is commendable achievement by government.”
“The figures revealed that the country has produced some 3,387,469 tons of maize in 2020, an increase from 2,004,389 tons last year, representing a 69 percent increase is an obvious indication that the country will have food security this year especially that we have seen Mealie meal prices dropping down.”
Government has set aside K1.7 billion to help one million farmers under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) access fertilizer and seed ahead of the 2020-2021 farming season.