Zimpapers Logo

Patrick Chitumba in Binga
BINGA District has received several tonnes of farming inputs from the Presidential Farming Inputs Scheme in a development that will further eradicate poverty in the area. In an interview on Friday, the administration officer in the office of the Binga District Administrator, Mr Witness Kufa, said the farming inputs had been delivered at the right time.

He said the inputs were delivered to Lusulu and Binga depots and distribution to intended beneficiaries had also started in earnest.

Mr Kufa said the distribution of cotton seed had also gone well.

“We have received five tonnes of cotton seed, four tonnes of maize seed and 60 tonnes of Compound D fertiliser under the Presidential Farming Inputs Scheme,” said Mr Kufa.

He said they were still to receive small grains such as millet and sorghum.

Mr Kufa said, generally, Binga district had wards with different rainfall patterns.

As a result, they have since divided the district into areas for maize farming, cotton farming and small grains farming.

“Lusulu area is under Region 3, which receives high rainfall. So we are distributing more maize seed in that area. At the same time, we are going to distribute small grains to areas along the Zambezi River which receive little rainfall,” he said.

Mr Kufa said while the rains came late, they were optimistic of a bumper harvest as the Government had also given them fertiliser.

“Once the farmers start planting and the crops germinate, there is fertiliser which is now readily available. So we want to thank the Government for this timely gesture aimed at improving the livelihoods of people in this area,” he said.

Mr Kufa said the Presidential Farming Inputs Scheme was a welcome development for the people who were used to receiving food aid from non-governmental organisations.

He said there was a drought relief committee that had been tasked to make sure that all the wards in the district receive farming inputs on time.

Meanwhile, Mr Kufa said there was now a Campfire department that was working under the office of the Binga Rural District Council.

He said the setting up of Campfire within the RDC office meant that there was co-ordination between the two.

Mr Kufa said the RDC was retaining a percentage of the funds from Campfire which they were using for community development.

“Campfire is assisting the communities living in the district and RDC is getting its share directly from Campfire which is used to develop communities,” said Mr Kufa.