BY CYNTHIA NKHATA
PELUM Association acknowledges government efforts in the recognition of the agricultural sector as an economic driver even in times when COVID-19 pandemic posses a threat in the attainment of the national development goals towards the vision 2030, Participatory Ecological land Use Management, (PELUM) Programmes Officer Wilfred Miga has said.
“However we feel that with the current push for agrarian extractivism, and corporate hegemony of seed and agriculture system, situation for smallholder farmers in the region is looking grim at the moment hence farmer’s voices are excluded from the seed harmonisation processes,” Miga said.
He has since recommend that there is need to have integrated seed sector which brings seed sector stakeholders together,to jointly address key issues hampering the development of the sector as a whole.
He also recommended that there is need to promote participative breeding and seed exchange,and promote markets for farmers varieties and in situ breeding.
He has since called on government through the ministry of agriculture and line ministries such as ministry of Livestock and fisheries and the ministry of science and technology to consider and incorporate the recommendations into the constitution of the republic of Zambia, 8th national development plan,the national agriculture and other relevant policies.
