FAO to support mechanized farming

NAIS- The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has pledged continued assistance in promoting mechanization across five provinces of Zambia to increase crop production.

FAO Social Protection Specialist Wilma Munyandi stated that 10 Mechanization Service Centres will be established in the five provinces to enhance crop production.

Ms. Munyandi made these remarks during the Smallholder Farmers Business Investment Forum in Choma, organized by the Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Farming Systems (SIFAZ) Project in Zambia.

She noted that €100,000 for Small and Medium Enterprises, funded by the European Union through FAO, has been committed to supporting the mechanization component.

In addition, Dr. Nicholus Mainza, the Agri-Business and Marketing Director in the Ministry of Agriculture, emphasized that the government aims to support farmers who produce sustainably, not only to increase profits but also to ensure future production.

Dr. Mainza also highlighted that adopting Sustainable Intensification Practices, supported by the SIFAZ project, will improve the resilience of farming systems to climate change-related shocks.

Meanwhile, several farmers have welcomed the mechanization promotion initiative, as it is expected to increase crop yields.